Sophomore Victor Coronado and freshman Marcus Cantu will be teammates at Lutheran South Academy when the baseball season gets going in January.
The plan is to be teammates after their high school careers end as well.
Both verbally committed to play for the University of Texas on Sept. 5. Coronado is a terrific physical prospect at shortstop at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, renown for strong defensive skills. He can throw 90 miles per hour across the diamond and is highly regarded as a power right-handed hitter.
Cantu also plays the middle infield and is a disciplined left-handed hitter. Scouts rave about his bat speed.
While the two are good friends, they didn’t confer with one another during their respective recruiting processes. Perhaps it was baseball fate that will keep them together.
“We have always been great teammates and played well together on previous select travel teams, but never thought we would end up playing together at a college,” Coronado said. “Marcus is a very talented player.”
Cantu said it’s “absolutely awesome.”
“This will be a great opportunity to build chemistry together,” he said. “Vic and I attended a Texas baseball camp last October and again earlier this month, but we hadn’t spoken much about which school was our top choice.”
Coronado said his goal this season is a state championship. LSA made the TAPPS semifinals last year.
“I think we have what it takes to get there and win it this year,” he said. “We are a fairly young team but have a lot of guys that can just flat-out hit. We have good pitching and play well defensively.”
His personal goals are to minimize strikeouts, consistently find the barrel of the bat on the ball and play clean defense, while emerging as a leader and mentor for others.
Cantu said he would like to earn the leadoff role in the lineup.
“Overall, I simply want to help my LSA team in any way I can and make an impact towards our team’s success,” Cantu said. “Our LSA team goal for this upcoming season, and every season, is to be TAPPS state champions. Nothing less will do.”
Coronado and Cantu spoke more with VYPE.
VYPE: Why was Texas the best fit for you?
CANTU: Texas is my dream school and has the best college baseball program in the country. Texas has won six national championships and has 38 College World Series appearances, so I wanted to be part of the best. I was considering other schools in the SEC and Big 12 conferences, but Texas was my top choice, by far.
CORONADO: I wanted to stay in Texas so that it would be easier for my family and friends to come visit and watch me play. I attended other good baseball camps and visited a few colleges, but I really felt a connection to UT and the coaching staff made me feel like part of the family. The campus, field and facilities are the best in the country, and I feel blessed to say that one day I can be a part of it. I also would like to study business, and UT has a great business program.
VYPE: What plans do the UT coaches have for you?
CANTU: I’m primarily a shortstop/middle infielder, so I would most likely be competing for that position. Some of my strengths they value are my defensive glove skills, footwork, athleticism, speed on the bases, attention to detail and my approach at the plate and hitting. I want to make an impact and help in the team’s success any way they need me to.
CORONADO: The coaches have mentioned that they see me playing in the infield and batting in the middle of the lineup. They have told that they really like my defensive skills, that I have a nice swing and can really hit the ball well.
VYPE: How would you describe the recruiting process?
CANTU: Tough but really fun. It was also exciting attending different college baseball camps and touring the campuses. One of the best parts was competing with top players from across the country at various national events and the camps. But that can also be the toughest part. You have to separate yourself because there’s so many elite baseball players.
CORONADO: The recruiting process is somewhat stressful, and things can happen at any moment. In my opinion, in order to get recruited, you need to love the game, stay dedicated and know that adversity will always be there with you. The best thing about the recruiting process is that you get to play in front of scouts and recruiters that are there to find the best players. You have to always do your best and be a great teammate. The most difficult part is when you are struggling in a game or college camp, you have to know how to put it behind you and not dwell on your mistakes.
VYPE: Now that you’re committed, what’s next?
CANTU: I can focus on continuing to improve and develop in all aspects of the game. Specifically, my defensive glove work skills, footwork, getting my 60-yard run-time down to 6.3 seconds by my senior year, and developing physically and mentally in the game. Continue to develop as a complete and elite hitter for the next level. I know there’s a lot of work ahead but I’m ready to dedicate myself and make the necessary sacrifices to be the best I can be.
CORONADO: The work is just now getting started. I need to continue working out, get stronger, faster and continue to expand my knowledge of the game. I would like to condition my body to be able to throw harder, increase my hitting strength and remain healthy. My baseball training is very important to me, but I also need to remain focused on my classes. My education is very important to me, so my goal is to also graduate high school with a high GPA.
VYPE: What motivates and inspires you?
CANTU: The love that I feel for the game. I love the feeling I get when I make a play, get a hit and spend time with my teammates. The competitiveness and dedication of the game also drive me. My inspiration comes from seeing my role models playing this great game of baseball and knowing that if I work hard enough, I may one day be as good. And maybe one day I can inspire someone else.
CORONADO: The thing that motivates me the most is knowing that there is someone better than me out there. I push myself to improve every part of my game, get better each day and maybe someday be the best. I like to watch game film to see how to improve my swing or how I approach a ball that was hit to me. Knowing there is someone faster than me, someone stronger than me, pushes me to continue to grind. I always try to be the best player on the field.