Follow @PrepBaseballCA Follow @LesLukach Follow @PBRmonkFollow @hardy03bsblFollow @HankLoForte

New Episode LIVE now! - At The Yard Podcast

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - For Shane Miranda, choosing the University of Notre Dame felt like a lifelong decision that finally came to fruition.

“Growing up, it [University of Notre Dame] was a legacy school that all my cousins dreamed of going to,” said Miranda. “Everyone has a Notre Dame flag in my family.”

 The 17 year old backstop out of Saint Augustine High School in San Diego, CA. is eager to continue his career in South Bend, Indiana. Miranda took his official visit to the University of Notre Dame in November and fell in love with the school’s campus and culture. 

“I’m excited to get out there, see what it's like, and get a great education.” Miranda continued, “It’s a place that I am so grateful that I get to live in for the next three to four years.”

According to Miranda, the turning point in his recruitment process occurred at the 2023 Prep Baseball Future Games in LakePoint, Georgia.

“Being able to perform in front of so many schools was crazy,” said Miranda. “It’s something that I will never forget and I am always going to be thankful for being put in a position like that to succeed.”

The event proved to be worth it for Miranda. His excellent performance, including a pop time recorded at between 1.90 and 1.94 seconds, led to the eventual offer given by the University of Notre Dame, which is now set to be his home for the next several years.

As the NCAA makes a shift towards shrinking roster sizes and offering scholarship opportunities to only those on the 34-man roster, Miranda is not fearful of these changes.

“I’m ready for it. That just means more competition and I’m not someone to back down from that. I’m going through it with the mentality that if I don’t perform, I’ll be back home. That’s how it should be,” said Miranda of the current landscape of college baseball. 

The rule change is set to be implemented in the 2025-2026 season. According to the NCAA press release, this rule change was made to create more transparency in the recruiting process and better align with the fast-growing NIL landscape.

Before donning the Fighting Irish blue and gold, Miranda hopes to end his tenure with Saint Augustine High School on a high note.

“I love all the guys there. It’s truly a brotherhood and it’s people I call family,” Miranda said of his high school teammates. “ I want to have a great season this year and I think we have something special going on to make it happen.”

Miranda is joined by the likes of other collegiate commitments who also hope to bring a state title back to Saint Augustine. Grayson Boles, a right handed pitcher committed to the University of Texas joined Miranda at the 2023 Prep Baseball Future Games and is the 14th ranked RHP in the 2025 national rankings. Jonny Haskett, also a right handed pitcher, recently committed to play at the University of California, Berkeley, and attended the Future Games this past summer. The middle infield for the Saints also includes two college commits, Tyler Wick (University of Oregon) and Raphael Dunne (UCSD). 

The catcher position is not only responsible for being the cornerstone of the infield but also comes with a leadership role. Miranda knows what it takes to be a leader, no matter the circumstance.

“For me, actions speak louder than words.” Miranda continued, “ setting the example by always hustling on and off the field is something that teammates will pick up and join in on.”

A starter since his freshman year, Miranda has been the prominent catcher for the Saints. In his junior season, Miranda hit for a .310 batting average as well as tallying 23 RBIS. Additionally, the catcher had 19 assists while only committing 3 errors. The now senior hopes to cap off his career as a Saint by being both a dominant presence offensively and behind the dish.

As an eighth grader, Miranda remembers watching fellow catcher Ariel Armas operate as the leader for Saints. Armas, who went on to play for the University of San Diego, was recently drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2024 MLB Draft in the 5th round.

“I remember being in eighth grade watching him play. He is someone who I want to be just like when it comes to playing the catcher position,” said Miranda. 

Miranda hopes to continue both being a leader and star player for Saints, and eventually the Fighting Irish. The journey to the bigs is just beginning for Miranda, but he is grateful for what has come so far.

“I just want to give a huge thanks to Prep Baseball California for everything they have done for me and I am so grateful that they have given me the opportunity to perform where I have,” said Miranda of the numerous Prep Baseball events. “ Also, I want to thank my family for always supporting me.”

As the Saints enter the season with a strong lineup and rotation, a new generation of younger players hopes to further success alongside an already proven senior class. With a record of 23 wins and 8 losses, the Saints were on the Prep Baseball California Power 25 for thirteen weeks of the season, reaching as high as 7th in the state. A standing which they look to improve on in the 2025 season. 

Upcoming Events

Showcase	State	Date	Location
Orange County Preseason ID	CA	01/02/25	JSerra
San Diego Preseason All State (Invite Only)	CA	01/04/25	Maranatha Christian High School
Central California Preseason All State (Invite Only)	CA	01/05/25	Antelope Valley College
Central California Preseason ID	CA	01/12/25	Ventura College
North Bay Preseason ID	CA	01/25/25	Novato High School
Northern California Preseason All State (Invite Only)	CA	01/26/25	Ohlone College
East Bay Preseason ID	CA	02/02/25	Pittsburg High School

MORE PREP BASEBALL NEWS