Joey Raccuia, a 19-year-old freshman baseball player at Radford University and the son of former Highlanders head coach Joe Raccuia, died Wednesday in a single-vehicle crash on East Main Street.
The wreck occurred not far from the university’s baseball stadium, where the Raccuia name has been part of Radford athletics for nearly three decades.
The accident took place at around 11:20 a.m., according to The Roanoke Times. First responders provided medical assistance, but Joey Raccuia was pronounced dead at the scene.
The wreck remains under investigation. Police are asking anyone with information to call Capt. J.L. Slaughter at 540-267-3711.
The Radford Baseball Team and University Respond
The Radford Highlanders baseball team confirmed Joey’s death in an Instagram post on Feb. 26.
“We are heartbroken to share news of the passing of Joey Raccuia. Joey’s impact on our team, this community and all the lives he touched went far beyond the playing field, and we miss him deeply,” the team wrote.
The university also released a statement, per WDBJ:
“Dear Highlander Family, It is with deep sadness that I share news of the death of Joey Raccuia, a first-year student at Radford. We are heartbroken by his passing yesterday and extend our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time,” the university wrote.
Joey Raccuia came to Radford University as a freshman from PDG Academy. According to his bio on the team’s official website, he was listed as both a middle infielder and a pitcher.
In the early weeks of the season, he had played in two of the team’s seven games, both as a second baseman. He batted 0 for 3 in those appearances. At 19, he was a first-year student with his entire career ahead of him.
Radford is 5-2 this season and is set to host Bryant in a three-game series this weekend. Players are wearing a patch on their hats and helmets that reads “JR 30,” in reference to his number.
The Raccuia Family Had Deep Ties to the Program
Joe Raccuia, Joey’s father, was a Radford graduate and former team captain for the university’s baseball team in 1995. That season, the Highlanders won a school record 30 wins, per Radford University.
Joe Raccuia returned to his alma mater in 1996 as an assistant coach. In 2007, he was named the team’s fifth head coach, a role he held for 12 seasons between 2008 and 2019.
The elder Raccuia became one of the most successful coaches in Radford athletics history.
In 2015, he led the Highlanders to a record 45 wins. That season, the team won its first Big South regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA regional round for the first time in program history.
The team won another Big South championship and earned a second NCAA Tournament berth in 2017.
Over the course of his coaching career at Radford, Joe Raccuia produced 13 MLB Draft Picks, including the Big South’s only first-rounder in Eddie Butler in 2012.
Joe Raccuia now works for the Kansas City Royals in scouting and player development.
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