Matthew Barmakian '18 Recruiting Profile

Driven, Passionate, Devoted.  These three words best describe me as a student athlete and have ultimately led to my continued success on and off the baseball field. My obsession with baseball began at an early age of five, when my older brother and I pitched pebbles to each other and played "home run derby," seeing who could hit the most over the backyard fence.  As I have matured, baseball has played a substantial role in my life, showing me how to overcome adversity and shed light on what I am truly capable of.   As a 2-sport athlete in swimming and baseball, I have learned real success comes from dedicated hard work and training, for which there is no substitute.   Offensively, I hit for power and average. Although my bat exit velocity is at 88, my goal is to get to the low 90's by the Spring.  Over this past Summer and during the Fall, I have been training offensively, defensively and in the weight room to be a better baseball player.  I lifted weights 4-6 days per week, while running or doing other forms of cardiovascular work outs 3 days per week to develop my body mass and endurance.  In addition, I trained with private instructors 2x/week all Summer to work on my swing and defensive techniques.  As a swimmer, my training carries me through the Winter and helps to prepare me for baseball season.  From September through February, I log a lot of hours in the pool training for both my club and high school teams.  Swimming builds my endurance and works different muscle groups in my upper body and legs,  so when it is time to hit the field in March, I feel strong.  Swimming has also given me the discipline and mental toughness that help to deal with those frustrating challenges baseball can present and are so much a part of the game.  My dream is to play college baseball on a competitive team, where I can contribute with a great bunch of guys, and at a school which values its academics, which is very important to me.  I love Biology and wish to pursue a major in the Biology or Health Science fields, while getting a well rounded education.