Jacob Shapiro '18 Recruiting Profile

I was born in Bogota, Colombia where my father had a baseball academy and scouted for the Atlanta Braves and then later, Chicago Cubs. I guess I was born into baseball as many hours were spent in baseball related activities. Growing up in a third-world country like Colombia helped me appreciate the values of family, helping others and hard work.

In the summer of my 8th grade year I moved to Florida with my family with the hope of pursuing the dream of becoming a professional baseball player. This move was challenging for me as a person and baseball player because of how advanced the players were in Florida in comparison to Illinois. In my first two years here, I played in several competitive leagues and I had tried out for my high school(Park Vista, where Trea Turner of the Nationals went) that had one of the best baseball teams in the nation, and I did not make the team. That did not discourage me as I kept working hard to get better and stronger. At the end of the summer of my sophomore year I was approached by a man while my Dad and I were playing catch in my front yard and he said that if I went to his school I would start on varsity immediately.  So after my parents and I investigated the school thoroughly, I made the switch. Now I'm a starting pitcher and leader on the varsity team.  I enjoy the camaraderie of my teammates and helping my coach improve our team. Since english is my second language, I have had to work harder in school.  I am grateful for the fact that I'm bilingual. This shows that no matter what happens I will always work hard at what I am trying to achieve whether it is baseball, academics or just life in general. I know I would be an asset to any program that I'd be fortunate enough to be a part of.