LA JOYA — La Joya High junior left-handed pitcher JC Gutierrez finished the 2021 season as the Rio Grande Valley’s strikeout king with 106 punchouts.
The Texas Tech commit elevated his game to solidify himself as one of the top pitchers in South Texas and earned The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Baseball Co-Pitcher of the Year award.
“It’s a special gift that God gave me, being a lefty. It’s my craft and I like to perfect it and I’m always trying to improve,” Gutierrez said. “My mentality is always in attack mode. It pumps me up when I get a strikeout and encourages me to get more and more. I work hard so I can dominate the pitching and attack every batter.”
Gutierrez, who went 10-1 with a 1.2 ERA, didn’t have a start with fewer than seven strikeouts this season. In his three playoff starts, he recorded 10 strikeouts against Weslaco High, 10 against San Antonio Stevens and 12 against Eagle Pass.
Against PSJA North on March 30, Gutierrez was one walk away from throwing a perfect game as he went seven innings while striking out a season-high 14 in a no-hit effort.
The junior helped lead the Coyotes to the District 31-6A crown with a 16-0 record.
Gutierrez attributed La Joya’s perfect district record and trip to the regional quarterfinals to team chemistry, which has been building for several seasons.
“It was a year like none other. We had the best guys out there,” he said. “We’ve been playing since our middle school years. We’ve known each other since seventh and eighth grade. It was just a great group.”
Gutierrez’s flame-throwing ability flashed during his freshman year as he was thrown into the fire as La Joya’s No.1 pitcher. Faced with a postseason play-in game against Mission High with the winner clinching District 30-6A’s final seed in 2019, La Joya handed the ball to its freshman.
He delivered with six shutout innings and nine strikeouts to send the Coyotes into the playoffs.
“That prepared me and showed me that I can do it and I can beat any team that I set my mind to. I’m able to go out there without a lack of confidence and able to get the job done,” Gutierrez said.
“He’s matured a lot. He’s always been a hard worker and dedicated,” La Joya head coach Mario Flores said. “He’s one of those kids that you don’t have to tell him what to do. He takes it upon himself to improve and listens and is very coachable.”
Gutierrez and a solid incoming senior class at La Joya High are focused on defending their district title.
“I’m looking forward to having fun with the guys, making baseball fun and winning games,” he said.
