Joe Trigg is a proven winner, and the SIUC baseball team is ready to welcome the junior transfer with open arms so he can possibly fill a defensive void this spring.

Trigg, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound third baseman from Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, Mich., signed a letter of intent Nov. 24 to join the Saluki baseball program.

The baseball team’s latest recruit brings a national junior college championship background to Carbondale and is expected to fit in nicely for coach Dan Callahan this spring.

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We’d like to think with the team success and the individual success that he has had that he can come in and play, Callahan said. We saw him some in the summer, and I don’t see any reason why he can’t perform here.

Trigg brings a standout winning experience that rivals any other of the Salukis’ backgrounds. Trigg led a Grand Rapids squad to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Championship last spring. Trigg started two seasons for Grand Rapids as the school racked up a 100-23 record.

But Trigg’s resume is not limited to strictly team victories. He also led Grand Rapids in hitting with a .410 average, and he added 10 home runs and a team-high 50 RBI. He also had a team-high .731 slugging percentage and .487 on-base percentage, while stealing nine bases in 11 attempts and grounding into only one double-play on the season.

Trigg also will be looked to for a solid defensive performance. Callahan said there is now a possibility of Trigg stepping into the starting third base spot, with Matt Dettman moving to first base to replace graduated senior Aaron Jones.

Dettman led the Salukis with 14 home runs and added a .310 batting average, but struggled defensively. Dettman committed 29 errors in 140 chances for a .793 fielding percentage in 54 games .

Matt could still play third in a pinch, but he struggled defensively last season, Callahan said. He can now be put in a situation where maybe he can relax a little more. He may even be more of an offensive threat now.

While Trigg is not assured of making an immediate impact, Callahan is confident he will have an opportunity.

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He had good numbers, but it is too tough to try to predict how he’ll make the adjustment, Callahan said. From a power standpoint, I don’t think anyone could have expected Matt to put up the kind of numbers he had. Joe can make us a more versatile ball club.