Daiya Kaneko '23 Recruiting Profile

Pitching gives me an opportunity to demonstrate and develop my mental fortitude. While physicality is vital in baseball, the mental game is what distinguishes a player from others. As a pitcher, giving up runs and taking the responsibility of losing a game has made me realize that, unlike other sports, baseball is a game of failure. Failure, however, should not be considered a negative, rather a positive since it helps to reflect and improve on the mistakes made. Redefining what success meant for me by focusing on throwing strong quality innings has allowed me to further improve my mental toughness on the mound.  

Growing up and playing baseball in Japan has taught me the importance of discipline. I’ve learned to respect the game by bowing when entering and leaving the field, clean the field after practice, and thank the umpires, players, and coaches of the opposing team after a game. While discipline and sportsmanship are essential, at the end of the day, the best way to show respect towards the game is to work hard, play hard and enjoy it. Similarly to on the field, I show respect towards my peers and teachers as a student and work hard with a driving passion for learning in the classroom.   Learning and practicing the significance of discipline has helped me improve as a player on and beyond the field. I cannot forget how grateful I am for the game of baseball.