EMU star Lee among Valley League’s best

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Jaylon Lee is a star on the diamond at Eastern Mennonite University.

“For us as a baseball program, even to a wider scale as a university, he means as much as anybody’s meant since (MLB veteran) Erik Kratz,” said EMU baseball head coach Adam Posey.

Lee, EMU’s starting center fielder, led the Royals in multiple offensive categories during the 2021 season. He batted .372 with seven home runs, 29 RBI, five triples, and scored 25 runs. He has carried his strong play into the summer as a member of the Valley Baseball League.

“Playing in the Valley League, that’s what everybody wishes to do here at EMU because you know that’s a big D1 league,” said Lee. “So we just try to step in and do what we can.”

A member of the Woodstock River Bandits, Lee has been a star this summer. Entering Tuesday night he had a league-leading 28 RBI to go along with seven home runs, the second highest total in the VBL. Lee’s performance has earned him a spot on the North Division roster for the upcoming Valley Baseball League All-Star Game.

“I’m very fortunate to have been the guy that got Jaylon,” said Woodstock head coach Mike Bocock. “I have had a lot of guys in 30 years and he’s probably one of the best men I have ever had.”

Lee is competing against players from some of the best NCAA Division I programs in the country while representing Division III EMU. However, he’s proven that he can play at an elite level.

“I mean I think he has surpassed our expectations,” said Posey. “I think he’s had a ton of success but I think sometimes too, guys that good need to be challenged so I wanted to see what he could do with that challenge.”

With his success at EMU and Woodstock, Lee hopes to play professionally after college. But for now, he’s focused on finishing the summer strong before his final season with the Royals next spring.

“Just keep fine tuning my game as much as I can,” said Lee.

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