JJ Schwarz should be on a 15-hour bus ride in the middle of nowhere right now, not leading the Florida Gators to the College World Series.
The freshman catcher — projected to be drafted in the first couple rounds of the 2014 Rule 5 Amateur Draft — didn’t hear his name called during the first round and took to Twitter stating his intentions to attend the University of Florida. The Milwaukee Brewers were undoubtedly aware of this and still selected Schwarz in the 17th round.
Instead of getting paid to play in small towns across the country, living the dream that any kid who picks up a ball and bat envisions for himself, Schwarz is doing something unprecedented at Florida.
Since the postseason began with the SEC Tournament, the freshman is hitting .564 (22-for-39), with 17 RBI, 15 runs scored, five doubles and four home runs.
Baseball is a fickle sport; you make seven outs every 10 plate appearances and you’re a pretty successful hitter. Schwarz experienced some failure in the first inning on Sunday when Dalton Guthrie fired home to try and get an out at the plate. The ball beat the runner, but bounced out of Schwarz’s glove, allowing the run to score. The freshman would answer that first inning folly.
Schwarz belted three home runs in the Florida Super Regional, including two in the clinching win on Sunday. The two Sunday dingers tied and broke the school record for home runs in a season by a freshman.
“They were both no-doubt shots,” said Florida State Seminoles left fielder D.J. Stewart, who had a front row seat to both long balls.
Schwarz has played in and started every game this season, leads the Gators in home runs (18), doubles (16), total bases (155), slugging (.651) and is second in batting average (.332).
“Obviously, he is getting to that point where he is carrying us a little bit right now,” Coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I think he’s got a really good demeanor about him to where he understands that the games have a lot of ups and downs. He’s a very even-keeled kid, I don’t think he gets ahead of himself, and he is very much about the team. He’s a really special player, special hitter, special catcher, and he’s put together quite the year.”
Schwarz showed how mature of a hitter he is not in the second inning when he blasted his first home run but in his second at bat. After the dinger, Florida State was careful throwing to him. Schwarz watched three balls miss just inches from the plate and drew a five-pitch walk. Discipline is something that takes a major league player time to develop, Schwarz showed it in that at bat. Later, after his second home run of the game, Schwarz stayed with a fastball low and away, driving it to the right side for a hit. He stays within himself in the box, a quality that a young kid who has hit 18 home runs may lack.
Schwarz has dotted the record books all season long. His four home run game against the Stetson Hatters on April 7th is a school record, as are the 18 bases he tallied that game. No freshman has had this type of impact since Austin Maddox and Schwarz doesn’t seem to be cooling down anytime soon. Despite the torrid pace that he’s currently on, Schwarz isn’t the most successful athlete in his own home. That distinction goes to his sister, Taylor, who just finished off back-to-back National Championships with the Florida Gators softball team and Taylor lets her little brother know that she’s got some hardware that he doesn’t.
“This week has been indescribable, my sister winning a National Championship; that’s such an accomplishment, I’m so happy for her, my parents are happy for her,” Schwarz said. “I think it’s our turn now.”
Schwarz hasn’t been able to put this streak into words. Perhaps, when things are going this well it’s best not to talk about it. Schwarz has hit the ball well all season long but what he’s done since the postseason began has been the driving force behind Florida putting together an eight game winning streak on their way to Omaha.
“He’s really caught fire here,” O’Sullivan said. “If you’re going to win a championship a couple guys gotta really get hot.”
After each of his 18 home runs this season, Schwarz has touched home plate with two fingers and his eyes fixed towards the sky. It’s appropriate as the Florida Gators get ready to ride their freshman into Omaha.
The promised land is just five wins away.