By Jim Hague
It was an honor a year ago when Josh Cote was elected by his peers as the captain of the Rutgers-Newark baseball team as a junior.
“It was a great honor for me,” Cote said.
So when time came to select a captain for the 2017 season, no election was necessary.
“I trust Josh in the way he handles himself,” veteran Rutgers-Newark head baseball coach Mark Rizzi said. “He’s a business student and he’s all business. It wasn’t even a thought between myself and the coaches to name Josh captain for this year. He was the only option.”
Rizzi said that he is impressed with the way Cote (pronounced KO-TAY) leads the team.
“The other players respect him so much,” Rizzi said. “They respect the quiet leadership he provides. Everyone follows him and listens to him. The team needs a leader and they have a good one when things go bad or when things are good. The team needs to have that and he’s there in my eyes.”
So Rizzi took it upon himself to anoint Cote as the captain.
“He doesn’t need any announcement from me for the team to follow his lead,” Rizzi said. “It just happens. He has helped us a lot.”
Three years ago, Cote helped the Scarlet Raiders out with his unselfish approach.
Cote was a catcher first and foremost. He was recruited by Rutgers-Newark as a catcher.
“It’s the only position I played my whole life,” Cote said.
But when Justin Marks arrived a year later, Cote looked like a player without a position.
“Justin had just a little more skill behind the plate than Josh did,” Rizzi said. “We wanted to keep Josh in the lineup.”
Like that, without ever playing the position before, Josh Cote became a left fielder.
“It was fine with me,” Cote said. “It gave me a break on my knees. I was willing to do anything to help the team and it was a way to keep me in the lineup. I knew Justin from playing club baseball on the same team (Team Wladyka) and I knew how good he was.”
Cote was a little apprehensive about playing a new position.
“I thought my speed could make up for some things,” Cote said. “And I have a good throwing arm from catching. I’ve spent a lot of time around baseball and I’m grateful for everything that happened.”
Rizzi is comfortable with Cote in left field.
“He could catch tomorrow,” Rizzi said. “But because of his versatility and athleticism, we were able to do it. I think deep down inside, he wanted to catch, but he was fine with it.”
Cote played 25 games behind the plate for the Scarlet Raiders as a catcher with six RBI and 19 hits as a freshman.
But his performance improved dramatically as a sophomore outfielder.
Cote batted a team-high .342 as a sophomore, with 39 hits, five homers and 30 RBI.
“He has good speed with good power and a strong arm,” Rizzi said. “Josh is also able to hit the ball hard to the opposite field. He improved tremendously hitting the breaking ball. He has prepared like you want any college player to do.”
Rizzi believes that Cote has placed high expectations on himself.
“I think he expects it and so does the team,” Rizzi said. “He was physically ready to start the season. He’s seeing the ball well.”
The season is only five games old, but Cote leads the Scarlet Raiders in hitting at .444 with eight hits and three RBI.
“I’d say he’s a little bit of a late bloomer,” Rizzi said. “He’s turned himself into a very good college hitter.”
Cote will graduate with a degree in business. Rizzi thinks that Cote has the makeup to be a good coach someday, but doesn’t think that coaching is in his future.
“I think he would be great for that,” Rizzi said.
“You never know where I might end up,” Cote said. “I can see me getting my MBA down the road. I’ll be looking to get into the work force after school. I still have an extra semester to do, so I’ll graduate in December.”
Cote said he’s possibly looking into securing an internship in the field.
“Nothing is concrete yet,” Cote said. “I’m still working at it.”
Cote believes that this could be the best year for the Scarlet Raiders.
“I have very high standards for this team,” Cote said. “We have a lot of talent. I’m looking beyond the NJAC (the New Jersey Athletic Conference). The coaches have a great relationship with us players and that helps a great deal. They know what we want. It’s a different feeling this year. I think we’re going to have something special going on.”
If only the northeast can get past the winter weather that forced postponement of three games already. The Scarlet Raiders just began their sojourn in South Carolina at Myrtle Beach, where they will play eight games over the next week.
