2008 (Junior): Selected to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List...Went .312 at the dish, notching 49 hits, five doubles, a triple and three homers...Became first Knight since 2005 to hit two grand slams in the same season...Drove in 31 and scored 35 runs...Walked more than struck out (34-33)...Batted in every spot in the lineup except first and second...Led the team with a .358 average in C-USA games, racking up 18 RBI...Threw out 11 would-be base stealers and picked off five runners...Accumulated a .986 fielding percentage in 433 chances...Recorded a base hit in seven of the last nine games...Had a 2-for-4 performance with two RBI and picked off a runner at first against FAMU (Feb. 23)...Went 2-for-3 with a run scored against Missouri (Feb. 25)...Scored a career-high three runs and had a double against CMU (March 1)...Broke a 4-4 tie with a two-out grand slam in the eighth inning vs. Monmouth (March 8)...Was 2-for-4 with two runs scored at Stetson (March 12)...Drove in a pair of runs and scored once at Southern Miss (March 22)...Delivered with two hits and scored two runs at FGCU (March 26)...Notched the game-winning RBI single in the sixth vs. ECU (March 28)...Went 3-for-4 with an RBI and threw out a runner on the bases at Houston (April 4)...Busted out for two hits and a run scored at Houston (April 6)...Crushed a grand slam in the first inning in first game at cleanup vs. USF (April 8)...Combined for six hits with two doubles and five RBI in the Marshall series (April 18-20)...Crushed a solo homer at Tulane (May 3) in a two-hit game...Scored three runs and had a hit at USF (May 6)...Brought in three runs on two hits vs. UAB (May 10)...Had two hits, a RBI and a run vs. Southern Miss in the C-USA Championship (May 21).
Prior to UCF: Spent two seasons with LSU, evolving into a premier defensive catcher...Made 32 starts as a sophomore, going .200 at the dish with a home run, 13 RBI and 10 runs scored...Started all three games vs. UCF Feb. 23-25, 2007, posting a single and a double...Also pitched in three games, striking out three in 3.2 innings...Finished freshman campaign with a .273 average in 23 games and 11 starts...Posted eight RBI and seven runs scored...Banged out first career triple in a two-hit affair at No. 1 Rice May 16, 2006.
High School: Drafted in the 17th round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins...Competed for Nova High School and coach Pat McQuaid...Led school to the state title in 2005, hitting .476 with eight homers and 32 RBI as a senior...Nova was ranked No. 1 nationally in the final USA Today poll...During junior season, hit .318 with 25 RBI en route to the state title and a spot on the Florida Sports Writers Association All-State Second Team...Also played quarterback on the football team for one season.
Personal: Born in Secaucus, N.J....Son of Jose and Maria Lara...Has two brothers, Julio and Daniel...Majoring in business.