It was only six years ago that Nolan Arenado, the Rockies’ two-time Gold Glove third baseman, was a star on El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.) High School’s varsity baseball team.
During his junior season at El Toro, in 2007-08, Arenado batted .456 with 32 RBIs and 33 runs while helping the Chargers win a Southern Section Division II championship and earning All-Southland team honors by the Los Angeles Times. His senior year, he had a .517 batting average, .615 on-base percentage, five homers and 14 doubles while, again, earning All-Southland honors by the L.A. Times.
Arenado was also a right-handed pitcher at El Toro, posting a two-year (2007-09) record of 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA over 20 innings with 17 hits, 26 strikeouts, eight walks and nine earned runs.
Arenado ranked No. 32 nationally and No. 7 in California after compiling a .469 batting average, .543 on-base percentage, 135 hits, 89 RBIs and 88 runs in 90 games.
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He committed to play for Arizona State in 2009, but after the Rockies selected him in the second round (59th overall) of the draft, he chose to go pro.
In 2011, two years after Arenado’s minor-league debut, Baseball America named him the and the , behind pitcher Tyler Matzek and catcher Wilin Rosario.
Arenado made his big-league debut in 2013 and is now the best defensive third-baseman in MLB.
(via MaxPreps)
Tags: California, Major League Baseball, Nolan Arenado, Rockies, Tyler Matzek, Wilin Rosario
