1B Victor Izquierdo (Lockport) made a charge in the Illinois State Rankings during his 2021 campaign, catapulting 26 spots to No. 15 in the state, as well as No. 379 in the National Rankings. Izquierdo's stellar IHSA season earned him PBR Second Team All-State honors after he turned in a final line with a .434 batting average, six doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 46 RBIs, 36 runs scored, .909 slugging percentage and just 13 strikeouts. The Navy commit continued to dominate into the summer and fall, showing well at events such as the PBR ProCase and the PBR Midwest Fall Championship.

We recently had the opportunity to discuss the recruitment process with Izquierdo, as well as some other interesting topics found below.

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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?

Izquierdo: I initially thought the recruiting process would be way more stressful than it was, it is relatively easy if you communicate with the coaches and work hard. Baseball-wise, I was looking for a college with good tradition and a family-like structure. Yes, winning matters, but the experience and life lessons are way more important.

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

I: No, I was up for wherever a college was.

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

I: The recruiting process heated up for me during the summer of 2020, going into my junior year. The school I committed to first saw me perform at a showcase/camp at their campus (winter 2018).

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

I: Some things I love about the United States Naval Academy are the tradition, campus, academics, family-like structure, and the challenges. Some key factors in making my decision were how the college sets me up for the future, the campus, and the experience I would have while attending the college.

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

I: Saint Louis University, United States Military Academy (Westpoint), Valparaiso, and Western Kentucky.

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

I: The best player I have faced in my state would have to be Noah Schultz. Noah is a tall, lengthy lefty that has a mean slider. Personally, I don't like facing lefties and Noah is the hardest lefty pitcher I have faced. Noah challenged me to be disciplined at the plate and to only swing at pitches in the zone.

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?

I: I realized I was a college-caliber player around October 2020, after I attended a PBR showcase. I was always serious about taking my game to the next level, and I was constantly hungry to be better.

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

I: If I were to say anything to a young player, it would be this: Always give 110% effort and work your butt off. You truly never know who is watching. Nothing will just be handed to you, and a good work ethic is the best thing to have while going through the recruiting process. Another thing, you will always have those people who try to get into your head, the best thing to do is block them out and never give in. Play loose and never give up!

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

I: The most memorable moment in my baseball career would have to be the whole 2021 Lockport High School baseball season. I loved playing with that group of ballers. We all had so much fun and played loose. A more specific moment of that season would either be when I hit two home runs in one game or when the top three of the line-up (Santarelli, Moerman, Izquierdo) went back-to-back-to-back.

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

I: I feel my high school team will exceed everyone's expectations. Even though we lost some key players on the team, we have the right guys to come up and fill their spots. I am genuinely excited about this year's season.

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