Alabama State’s José Vazquez on teaching, coaching at HBCU

As a teenager José Vazquez left Puerto Rico for a small town in Iowa, where an NAIA university offered him the chance to continue playing baseball.

Halfway through his freshman year, the school closed. He kept chasing his dream, though. Two years at a community college in Iowa and a year at Division II at Morningside College led him to a senior season at Bethune-Cookman University.

Seventeen years later, the Puerto Rican kid who finished his playing career at a historically black university is now in his third season at Alabama State University. He’s the only Puerto Rican head coach at an HBCU and one of four Latino head baseball coaches in Division I baseball.

In December, Vazquez was named one of Baseball America’s top ten coaches under the age of 40.

We spoke with Vazquez on La Vida Baseball Live on Monday. Click the video to learn more.

Featured Image: Alabama State Baseball Instagram