2005 (SENIOR): After playing a majority of the summer in the outfield, Cotto could see significant playing time at both second base and in the outfield this spring.
2004 (JUNIOR): Cotto was named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year and second team All-Sun Belt last season. He led the team in batting average (.379), runs (72), hits (85) and triples (4). He ranked first in the conference and 16 nationally with 1.22 runs per game. His .379 average ranked fourth in the conference and 82nd nationally while he ranked fourth in the conference in hitting and was tied for second in triples.
Xardiel finished last season leading the team with a .493 on-base percentage, was tied for second on the team in RBI (57) and tied for fourth in home runs (11). He also finished second on the squad with eight stolen bases and posted a .981 fielding percentage with just five errors on the season.
Cotto led the Aggies with a season-high 13-game hit streak (3/4-4/2). He led the team with 33 multiple hit games, including seven where he hit safely three times or more. He also tied for second on the team with 14 multiple RBI games.
Cotto started predominately at second base and hit out of the three hole 44 times last season.
Xardiel hit safely in the first six games of 2004, including two in which he didn't start. In that stretch Cotto scored 10 times and drove home eight runs.
In the first two games of the season against College of the Southwest (1/25-1/26), Xardiel went 4-for-7 with four runs and two RBI.
Against the Air Force Academy (2/7), Cotto went 2-for-5 and drove home a season-high five runs. He also hit his first home run of the season and scored three times in the 20-7 victory. In the final two games of the Air Force series, Cotto went 2-for-3 as a pinch hitter and scored twice.
In the series opener with Iona College (3/5), Cotto continued his solid offense game, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and four runs. In the second game of the series and first of a doubleheader, Xardiel went 2-for-4 with two RBI and hammered his third home run of the season. In the second game of the double dip, Cotto went 1-for-2 with three RBI and three runs scored.
After a strong non-conference season, Cotto didn't miss a beat headed into Sun Belt play. Cotto was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week after hitting .565 (13-for-23) with 11 runs scored, a home run and seven RBI in six games during the last week of March. He went 6-for-11 against Sun Belt Conference Champion Western Kentucky during that week. In the series opener with the Hill Toppers, he went 2-for-5 with a homer and four runs batted in. In game two of the series, Cotto went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored. In the finale, he again went 2-for-3 with two runs as the Aggies swept the three-game series.
Against New Orleans (4/16-4/18), Cotto again provided a plethora of offense, going 4-for-12 in the series with six RBI and five runs. In the opener, Xardiel went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs. In the middle game, Cotto exploded offensively, going 2-for-5 with a homer and five RBI.
In the doubleheader at Arkansas State (4/24), Cotto went 5-for-8 with four runs and three RBI. In the first game, Xardiel went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs while scoring three times. In the second game Cotto went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Against Arizona State (5/19), Cotto had another great offensive game, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run and three RBI.
2002-2003 (FRESHMAN-SOPHOMORE): Cotto attended Ottawa University, in Ottawa, Kan. where he was conference player of the year, first team all-region, and region player of the year both his freshman and sophomore seasons. He was also honorable mention NAIA All-America pick in 2002 and second team NAIA All-America in 2003. During the 2003 season, Xardiel batted .472 with eight home runs, 72 runs batted in, and struck out only 10 times in 159 at bats.
HIGH SCHOOL: Cotto graduated from Andress High School in El Paso, Texas where he was selected as second team all-district in 2001.
PERSONAL: Xardiel was born in Neurenburg, Germany and is the son of Andres and Adela Cotto. He is majoring in Biology.
