Labrador signs with Polk State

Ryan Labrador is undoubtedly one of the best athletes roaming the halls of Citrus High School.

J.M. Soracchi/Chronicle

Citrus senior Ryan Labrador, front center, signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at Polk State College in Winter Haven. Ryan is flanked by father Joe Labrador and mother Debbie Eckstein. In the back row, from left, is Citrus coach Brady Bogart, sister Sarah Labrador, grandfather Bob Eckstein, grandmother Julie Eckstein, Charles Kelly, Citrus assistant principal Phill McLeod and Gatorball coach Stephen Barton.

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But the Hurricanes senior will be playing collegiate baseball based more on what he hasn’t done yet, rather than what he has.

Labrador signed his national letter of intent Tuesday to play baseball at Polk State College, a two-year school located in Winter Haven.

The Eagles were Labrador’s first and only visit before deciding to commit, although he said University of North Florida and Florida Atlantic both contacted him.

“When I visited, they just had a young coaching staff,” Labrador said. “All three of them had college experience.”

Labrador played mostly at shortstop as a junior for the Citrus varsity baseball team and only pitched about 10 innings.

Polk State, in turn, are signing Labrador as much for his potential as his current ability. As an Eagle, Labrador will be looked at predominantly as a pitcher.

“We really, really liked his athleticism,” Polk State head baseball coach Al Corbeil said. “We got to see his arm this summer and he’s already got a fastball that touches 90 (miles per hour).”

It wasn’t until the summer, working with Gatorball Baseball Academy coach Stephen Barton, that the hurler began logging more innings on the mound and getting noticed.

Labrador also played outfield during his time with Gatorball, and said he feels like the experience made him a better player.

“High school’s always helped out.” he said. “But playing on the summer team this year, you’re playing against higher competition, which helps out a lot.”

Citrus head baseball coach Brady Bogart, who is also Labrador’s uncle, thinks the Eagles are getting a malleable player.

“I think the potential is definitely there,” Bogart said. “The summer really opened people’s eyes to what a raw pitching talent (Ryan) is.”

Besides his family, Labrador said Jim Tobin and Charles Kelly (both youth coaches during Ryan’s Little League climb through Inverness) helped immensely.

Bogart also said Labrador’s size (he stands at a lean, muscular 6-foot-3) intrigued Polk State.

“They don’t look for the 5-foot-8 lefty like me anymore,” said Bogart, who pitched at St. Leo in the 1990s. “They look for the body type and they definitely look for the arm action, which he’s very loose with.”

While Labrador enjoys being a Hurricane, he’s looking forward to bigger and better things.

“It’s just really exciting,” he said of signing with Polk State. “I know my whole family is proud of me to get out of Inverness, go to college and play baseball.”