Manuel Zuniga '19 Recruiting Profile

I started playing baseball when I was five years old. I fell in love with the game as soon as I had my first practice. I originally started playing soccer, but my dad knew that I wasn’t happy. He then signed me up for baseball. I think my coach had a lot to do with me loving the game. Most of the kids were only beginners. Somehow, the coach had a way of making baseball enjoyable and challenging. I gained confidence and began to have fun at games and at school. It gave me discipline and a sense of determination. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

My biggest obstacle in baseball has always been my height. I am not as tall as other players, and that has caused people to believe that I am not up to par with other players—that I could not achieve success. At one point, a high school coach labeled my height as a deficiency even though I proved that I was the best player on the field. I may not have the eye candy that most coaches look for, but it has never stopped me from putting up solid numbers. One time, my coach, Freddie Tisdale, allowed me to play an inning in a college game at the local MLB Academy. I was only 12, but managed to make a play at second and get a hit. I have always played up 2-3 years, but this experience gave me perspective. My father taught me that age and size are only a state of mind, and that it is up to me to control the outcome of every play. So far, I have done well.