Thomas Farrell '24 Recruiting Profile

After my freshman year of baseball, when I said to my parents that I thought I wanted to play in

college, my dad, a former Division 1 Tennis player, immediately asked me if I knew how hard of a

job college sports are. But in reality, not a week of my life has gone by without playing, thinking

about, or wanting to play baseball since I was four years old, and I don't think that will ever

change. Without even thinking about the joy of playing the game, I appreciate and love baseball

as a spectator. It is as much a mental game as it is physical, and I can often imagine how

innings will play out before the out even happens: error at third base, runner gets on, the pitcher

gets rattled by the guy on first, the next batter hits a home run for a 2-0 game. Even better than

watching a game is being involved in one, even if that means watching from the bench. When

the team is united in having confidence in its players, the players have more confidence in

themselves, so I understand how meaningful it can be to scream from the sidelines.

But by far my greatest love in baseball is standing on the mound, surrounded by teammates and

coaches, knowing that years of practice building muscle memory will help make my pitches stay

consistent. The thrill of every strike out feels brand new, and there is no better seat from which

to watch a clean play being made in the infield. Chasing that high is the ultimate motivation, and

it carries over for me to every weight lifting, fielding, pitching, and hitting practice. In order to be

the best version of myself, I give 100% to my team on and off the field. This includes giving

100% as a student athlete who understands that part of my job is to be a student.

When I transferred schools and began my sophomore year at Fairfield College Preparatory

School, both the academic demand and motto of being a “man for others” were a match for who

I am off the field. Between the hours spent on homework, the hours spent doing community

service at my church, and the hours of baseball, I have become a master of time management.

But ultimately this gets back to my dad’s original question and even answers it for me. It has

been a year of juggling, including adjusting to the demands of a new school and starting as a

Pitcher and First Baseman on JV before being called up to Varsity, and all I still think about is

how much I want to play baseball. As I think more about college, I just want to keep moving

forward with baseball and the traits it inspires. Leadership, dedication, work ethic, ability to

manage time, being a good teammate, responsibility, and respect are all learned from the game.

There’s no better way to imagine college than spending it playing baseball.

-Tommy Farrell