How does somebody who lived in Sweden until he was 11 years old become a baseball player?
I just always wanted to play. When my parents divorced, my Mom said she always wanted to come to California, and there was always good baseball here. Plus, her side of the family was on the East Coast, so I ended up being a Yankee fan. Q: How important was playing regularly in Southern California to your development? A: It was definitely a huge factor. I think Southern California is the best place to grow up as a baseball player because you can pretty much play year-round and do it against good competition. It helps to have experience against good players and you see faster what you need to do better. Q: Who are the best hitters you have faced to this point? A: The first two guys that come to mind are Matt Davidson (3B, Yucaipa HS) and Jiovanni Mier (SS, Bonita HS). I think the best all-around player I’ve seen is Jake Marisnick (OF, Riverside Poly). I played with him for about a week at the Area Code Games and on a Connie Mack team. I think he’s just an all-around talent. He can hit, h
