Less than a year ago, Kobe Jaramillo was out of baseball and a part of the workforce. He thought his baseball career was over, but that was before St. Edward’s pitching coach, Jeremy Flores, reached out to offer him the opportunity to play his final season of eligibility on the hilltop.
Jaramillo and Flores met in the summer of 2020, when Flores was a member of the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio’s coaching staff, a summer college baseball team in the Texas Collegiate League. Although Jaramillo was only on the roster for two weeks, before leaving the team after catching COVID-19, the two built a relationship in their brief time together.
A year later, when Jaramillo entered the transfer portal following his freshman year at The University of Texas at San Antonio, he reunited with Flores at Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK), where he coached at the time. Jaramillo starred in his season with the Javelinas, earning Third Team All-LSC honors in 2022, going 6-3, with a LSC-leading 3.26 ERA.
In his second season with the Javelinas, Jaramillo’s numbers dropped, finishing the year with a 2-5 record, 5.14 ERA, in 75.1 innings pitched.
Flores left TAMUK to take the same position at St. Edward’s in the summer of 2023, when Ryan Femath was promoted to head coach.
Jaramillo last played in 2023 for the Javelinas, but did not play in 2024, as he was recovering from a broken bone in his hand and two torn ligaments in his wrist. Jaramillo’s injuries derailed his senior season and was out of college baseball during the 2024 season. At the time, he officially hung up his cleats and began working. It was a sad end to Kobe’s baseball career.
“I was at a point where I didn’t know if I was going to play baseball again,” Jaramillo said. “Then coach Flores gave me a call and was like, ‘Hey, let’s run it back one more time,’ and I said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
That phone call has paid massive dividends for Jaramillo and the Hilltoppers baseball team, who are currently ranked No. 15 in the American Baseball Coaches Association national poll.
“Taking a year off is not ideal,” Jaramillo said. “I don’t think anybody or even myself thought I was going to have this good of a start so far. It was a journey not being able to play last year. In the back of my mind, I still wanted to play again, and being able to get this opportunity; I’m going to make the most of it.
Jaramillo has emerged as the undoubtable ace of the Hilltopper pitching staff and has been nothing short of sensational this season; 5-0 record, with 2.25 earned run average, limiting opposing hitters to a .196 batting average, while leading the Lone Star Conference with 48 strikeouts this season.
The main priority for Flores was rebuilding this year’s Hilltopper pitching staff with grit and competitiveness. In 2023, St. Edward’s pitching allowed the second most walks in the Lone Star Conference. This year, the Hilltoppers have made noticeable progress, walking the fifth least hitters in the conference.
“I’m looking for guys who are ultra-competitors on the mound,” Flores said. “Because I think stuff alone is going to get you outs, but you have to have confidence in between the ears.”
For Flores, Jaramillo checked all of those boxes.
“It’s easy to make a decision when you’re transferring if you already know the coach, and you’ve played for them,” Jaramillo said. “(Flores) always has your back and puts the best effort to get you ready and help you have success on and off the field.”
Jaramillo’s signing has been perhaps the most impactful addition to the Hilltoppers’ roster. Plus, he has been fully embraced by his teammates.
“Everybody here is so welcoming, from the campus to the guys on the field,” Jaramillo said. “They took us in like brothers, and it’s awesome. I’m glad to be here.”
During baseball season, the players and coaches often spend more time amongst each other than with their own families at home. This sentiment hits close to home for Flores and his wife, Katrina Flores, who moved to Austin last year with their daughters, Kyleigh and Lilian Flores.
Katrina and the girls are staples at Lucian-Hamilton Field, routinely interacting with the players in the dugout and running the bases after games. Jaramillo has built a relationship with both of the Flores’ daughters. Their oldest, Kyleigh Flores, is nine years old, plays softball, and has been a fan of Jaramillo’s since his Texas A&M – Kingsville days.
“It actually makes my job easier, knowing that they’re comfortable, and they’re where they want to be,” Flores said. “Coach Femath preaches family, and it breeds through the team as well.”
The No. 15 ranked Hilltoppers will host Oklahoma Christian University this weekend at home in Austin. Their four game series begins at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. All of the action can be streamed on FloCollege.
