Miami Dade College men’s baseball head coach, Lazaro Llanes, is the recipient of the 2026 Homa Thomas Sportsmanship Award.
The award, announced last month at the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series, is given to people who embody high character, respect, and sportsmanship. It honors the legacy of Homa Thomas who won 300 baseball games in 17 years as the head baseball coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College.
“I think it’s an award that speaks more toward Miami Dade College, the program, the players and the rest of the coaches,” Llanes said. “The fact they named it toward me is more out of a general sense.”
Born in New York City, Llanes moved to Miami when he was six. He started playing baseball when he was nine years old.
During his more than 30 years in baseball, the 59-year-old has served in various capacities including a scout with the Miami Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers, athletic director and head coach at Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School, sports director at the Nogae Sports National Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic and assistant baseball coach at Westminster Christian.
Llanes was named the head baseball coach at MDC in the fall of 2023. He recently completed his third season with the team, a year that saw the Sharks finish with a 39-20-1 record and qualify for the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series tournament in Grand Junction, Colorado.
“It’s not just about winning games. It’s about how you carry yourself,” Llanes said. “You’re representing Miami Dade when you wear the uniform. It’s how you play the game, how you carry yourself during the game and off the field, it’s the total package.”
