Jalen Maharaja '23 Recruiting Profile

Baseball has been a major part of my life since birth. The love for the game is something that bonded my parents and naturally this love was passed down to me. They made it clear to me that this sport is not just about what happens on the field after the ump says, "play ball" and people are in the bleachers. That the work you put in when no one is watching is what builds your character. From a very early age, I realized that any success I may have in life was going to be a product of my own hard work, discipline, dedication, & determination. I also learned that the key to growing is constantly challenging yourself and along the way there will be failure. With this mindset instilled in me, I've learned that details matter. Focusing on and perfecting the little things is what separates you from the average and I try to apply this to all areas of my life, whether it be academics, on the field, or training in the weight room. 

Academically, I have not settled for the standard curriculum at Saint Peter's Prep. I've challenged myself by taking honors and advanced placement classes. I also volunteer as a youth basketball and baseball coach. I also became a certified life guard, this past fall. In college, I'm planning on challenging myself even more by studying Business and Finance. 

Over the past four years of club baseball, I've been consistently challenging myself by playing up a year. With COVID, I could've easily reclassed but I didn’t. Instead, I've welcomed and embraced the challenge because I know that in the end it will lead to my growth and development as both a player and individual. 

I'm a gym rat that takes my training seriously. I am very focused on improving my analytics data by using the latest tech and training protocols. I use velocity based training in the weight room to develop and progress through my strength training programs as well as a Proteus Motion to train rotational power. For pitching, I use Motion Capture analysis and Rapsodo to measure spin rate, efficiency & axis. The training environment is second to none and I really enjoy the grind of getting better every day. I hope to find a program that shares these values.

Like every other high school baseball player, the pandemic was a major obstacle in my development and presented challenges. Instead of letting the time pass, I knew I had to take advantage of the unique and uncertain situation. I worked relentlessly during the lockdown and months after. I focused on the details and fine tuning my mechanics. I understand that this is a process and look forward to working hard so that I can compete and help a team win at the next level.