When athletes choose to play for a junior college, often times they go out of the area from where they graduated from high school.
Whether it’s the odd stigma of not wanting to go to the local junior college or simply seeing a better fit elsewhere, a number of athletes travel much farther to showcase their skills.
Not Tony Amaral. The 2014 San Benito High graduate selected Gavilan College as his playing choice, and it’s turned out to be a great decision. The Rams entered the week with a 17-10 overall record and 9-7 mark in Coast Conference Pacific play.
If Gavilan finishes in second place, it will make the playoffs for the first time since 1979.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of this team,” Amaral said. “It’s awesome going into every game with guys who have the same passion and will for the game you do. Everyone has confidence in one another that we’re going to get that clutch hit or make the play when we need to.”
The 5-foot-6, 140-pound Amaral entered this week’s action leading the team with 10 stolen bases and 94 at-bats despite missing three games, while ranking second in runs scored (21), third in hits (28) and fourth in on-base percentage (.400).
Hitting from the leadoff spot, Amaral has also played solid defense at second base. Amaral was unsure of how much playing time he would receive before the season started, but he quickly showed he was a legitimate player at the junior college level.
“Coming into the year, I didn’t think I’d play everyday, so things are going better than I expected,” said Amaral, who was also considering to play at Cabrillo of Aptos, Hartnell of Salinas and West Valley of Saratoga. “I know the team had a tough season last year, but there was a sense this year would be much different.”
It has been and then some. Led by a trio of outstanding pitchers in Erik Barron, Gabe Katich and Matt Oxner, the Rams haven’t lost more than two games in a row all season.
Part of the reason lies with Amaral, who brings a professional—in baseball vernacular, that means playing the game with passion and keeping an even demeanor—approach to the field.
In terms of hitting, Amaral tries to see a lot of pitches, not only to make the pitcher work more, but also to give his teammates an early scouting report.
“I’ll relay whatever information I have to the dugout,” he said. “I’m looking at the pitcher’s delivery, his arm slot, little things like that. The approach is to pick up as much as I can in one at-bat.”
Amaral has caught on quickly in the more competitive junior college game, which is a fertile recruiting ground for coaches manning four-year programs. Despite his size, Amaral could very well land a scholarship at a four-year school if he has another solid season at Gavilan.
In the off-season, Amaral made it a point to get stronger and work on his hitting mechanics.
“My bat speed is as fast as it’s ever been because I’m a lot stronger this year,” he said. “From my legs to my core to everything, it’s all a big part of improving as a hitter. I did a lot of drills this year to keep my hands faster through the (strike) zone.”
Amaral has come a long way after getting cut during his junior year from San Benito High for what he said were “unspecified reasons.” It was a devastating blow for Amaral, who would have to wait for his senior year to become a starter on the varsity squad.
“That was definitely a tough and hard time,” Amaral said. “But it helped me a lot with things in and out of school, and it help me focus to get in the right places in life and make right decisions.”
Amaral was introduced to the game at a young age, accompanying his dad and older brother to their games and practices. Since his brother was five years older, Amaral got to practice against much superior competition, paving the way for future success.
“Playing with guys a lot older, it made me pay attention and play a lot harder so I could keep up,” he said.
Amaral’s love for the game has fueled his desire to continually improve; however, like all athletes who are looking for an edge, Amaral takes motivation from the fact that he’s never been the most talented player at any level.
“Just knowing I’m going up against guys who are bigger, stronger and faster than me has helped push me everyday,” Amaral said. “It just makes me work harder and appreciate the game more.”
