Diego York-Alanis '22 Recruiting Profile

I’m currently a senior at Lutheran High School of San Antonio where I have been playing on the Varsity team since I was a freshman. My three years of varsity experience, along with years of select baseball, have helped me learn about the game and myself.  Most recently, under the direction of former MLB Pitcher Ben VanRyn, my focus of learning the nuances of the game has excelled as I continue to build my skills and experience. Playing the game of baseball teaches many life lessons, such as teamwork, resiliency, and individual contributions just to name a few. What I enjoy about baseball is the opportunity to develop my skills, strive for constant improvement,  evaluate game strategy and join in the successes of others. One particular lesson is overcoming adversity and failure, a recurring constant in the game, in other words you have to fail in order to learn and grow. The game has taught me to be resilient, as success is incremental and failure immediate. However, with failure comes an opportunity. I am consistently motivated to play with other likeminded individuals who collectively put the betterment of the team first.

Like most athletes, I’ve been playing baseball since I was 5 years old. What started out as a way to have fun with my dad turned into a passion for the sport. My high school coach frequently refers to me as his Swiss Army knife because of my willingness to serve in any position our team needs which has helped me become more versatile in my abilities to compete in multiple locations without the accolades frequently given to others who play limited or singular positions. With the relative size of my school, I am willing to go where the team needs me. On the other hand, I’ve always been underestimated because of my size and quiet demeanor despite my competitive drive. This has motivated me to work harder. For example, to compensate for my stature, I continuously work on using my full body efficiently as I continue to grow physically, mentally and emotionally.

While I really enjoy the game itself, my father and I also help maintain our high school field year-round. In addition to the normal maintenance, together we have significantly improved the condition of the field and facilities. I view this as an opportunity for us to give back and invest in not only my future, but the future of students to come for many years.

I would like to play collegiate ball at the next level. While I remain undecided about my field of study I am leaning towards the field of Business. I’m looking for a college with a reputation for academics as well as athletic success. Regardless of where I end up, I look forward to developing new relationships with teammates on and off the field.