James Besaw '18 Recruiting Profile

I have been playing baseball since I was 5 years old. I have been involved in many other sports throughout my youth (soccer, football, basketball, cross country and track) but decided my freshman year to focus on just baseball as it has always been my passion and my favorite sport.

Since graduating High School, I was recruited to MCLA college in Massachusetts to play 1st base.  Academically I maintained a GPA of 3.3 for the year. While my actual game time was limited, I feel that I gained a lot of experience and I truly understand what it takes to be a student athlete. I have decided not to return to MCLA but I would like to continue to play baseball and find a college to pursue my interest in chemistry.

For Oak Harbor High School I play first base and outfield. I made the JV team my freshman year and was moved up to varsity at the end of the season for district playoffs. My sophomore and junior year I lettered for varsity. Being a student athlete, I also earned academic letters for having a 3.5 or higher GPA for 2 semesters in a row during my sophomore and junior year. I took AP physics my junior year and I am currently in AP chemistry my senior year. I plan to earn athletic and academic letters again my senior year and look forward to being a leader of my Oak Harbor High School Wildcat baseball team.

Since deciding baseball was my passion I have been playing baseball year round. I have played fall ball for 6 seasons now and this summer will be my 4th season of select baseball with the Seattle Elite League. For select ball I train 4 months in the winter at locations at least 1.5 hours from my home. I have successfully balanced the training and my academics at school. When my select season begins each May my team plays in games and tournaments throughout Washington state and sometimes traveling to Oregon and California, with the season ending in early August. I recently started winter work ups with my 18U Elite team - Washington Rush and I look forward to playing ball with this team again this summer.

I enjoy teaching others how to play baseball, whether it's my nieces and nephews or volunteering to help local youth when I can fit it into my schedule, I play baseball any chance I get.

I have a strong work ethic and always arrive early and stay late. My coaches have always been able to count on me for field prep, hustling on the field during practice and games and staying late to clean up.