By Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin

With more than half of its roster comprised of new players the FIU baseball team has such a different look this coming season that you might need to hand out "Hello, My Name is" stickers at the FIU ballpark. Since there are so many new faces, from now until Opening Day on Feb. 16 when Missouri comes to town for a three-game series, we'll profile the newest Panthers as well as the returning FIU ballplayers.
 
Kobe Lopez, SS, Sophomore

What are your thoughts on your freshman year last season?

KL: I was hurt last season but I'm looking forward to staying healthy and try to help the team have a successful year.

What is your best baseball experience?

KL: Probably my junior and senior years of high school when we won states at Archbishop McCarthy. It's always fun to dogpile on the mound when you win.

Give me an example of a game or a moment that makes baseball such a great game.

KL: Seeing Derek Jeter get his 3,000^th hit. It was a home run and he was not a home run hitter. It was cool to see him hit the home run and he was just the second player ever to hit a home run for his 3,000^th hit after Wade Boggs did it for Tampa Bay. Jeter's home run was also opposite field like a traditional Jeter base hit.  



Tell me something away from baseball about you that someone might find interesting?

KL: Before my dad changed my name to Kobe because his favorite player is Kobe Bryant, my actual name at birth was Charlie Efrain Victor Miguel Lopez Gonzalez.

My freshman year of high school me and my dad went to court in Broward County to change my name to Kobe. When I was born my dad wanted to name me Kobe but in Puerto Rico people told my dad that Kobe wasn't an actual name. So my dad gave me a bunch of names so they would have to do more paperwork. My dad played semi-pro basketball in Puerto Rico.

FIU coach Mervyl Melendez says about :

"Kobe will most likely be our starting shortstop. He is a very good defender who has vastly improved offensively from last year and he had a great fall offensively."
 
2018 FIU PANTHERS
Logan Allen
Diandre Amion
Jose Garcia
Andres Nunez