Graham Mastros (New Trier) is one of the more talented corner infielders in the state. The future Billiken helped lead a talented New Trier squad to a Super-Sectional and an overall record of 25-13. With his unique combination of power and speed, Mastros catapulted himself into the recruiting scene, eventually landing with St. Louis. 

We recently had the opportunity to discuss the recruiting process with Mastros, what he was looking for in his college experience and several other intriguing topics.  

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OUR Q&A

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at? 

Mastros: As the recruiting process started for me I was very overwhelmed in what to expect. I did not know what I wanted in a program. As I got farther into the process I figured out that I wanted to go to a school where I could play early, and have a good connection with the coaches. That is exactly what I found in St. Louis. 

P: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision? 

M: I didn’t want to be in my backyard, but I didn’t want to be too far away. It didn’t really factor into my decision in the end. 

P: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play? 

M: The winter going into the spring of 2021 is where I racked up lots of interest. SLU saw me early in the summer and I connected with the coach there immediately. 

P: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision? 

M: The biggest factor with my decision was having a place where I could play. I didn’t want to go to a really big school and have to sit on the bench for a couple years before getting on the field. I think SLU could be a spot where I could do that. SLU also has a good mix of baseball and education which was also a big factor. At the end of the day the shoe fit right and I’m very happy with my decision. 

P: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision? 

M: Western Kentucky and UIC. 

P: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent? 

M: Ben Plumley is the toughest arm I’ve faced so far in my career. I got to hit off him during the IHSA playoffs. He was tough for me because of the fastball-curveball combo he brought to the table. Sitting low 90’s mixed in with a nice spinner is very tough to face. 

P: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level? 

M: After my 15u season I started to get very serious about taking my game to the next level. During Covid it was hard to get recruited, but I stuck with it and realized that I was a little different from the rest. 

P: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are? 

M: The two biggest things are first, grades. Without good grades it’s very hard to get recruited. It also gives you an advantage in the process if your grades are better than other recruits. Second is the weight room. If you look at guys in college all of them are physically advanced and in the weight room every day. Find a balance of speed and strength, and it will make it a lot easier to get noticed. 

P: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point? 

M: Playing in a Super Sectional during the high school playoffs. The atmosphere around each game leading up to it was electric. It was some of the best team baseball I’ve been a part of. 

P: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be? 

M: I think our team is going to be very solid. We have great position guys with guys like Brenden Stressler, James Novakovic, and a group of three hard nosed seniors. On the mound we have a great  rotation of righty and lefty guys. It’s going to be fun to watch this year. We have a very good team on paper and it’s going to be very interesting to see how we perform in the spring.

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