A Missions infielder is secure with life after baseball.
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Mission’s leadoff hitter has all the baseball genes for future success at the highest levels which also defines, ironically, his plans for life after baseball.
“Right now, my focus is to be a major league baseball player,” said San Antonio Missions infielder Ripken Reyes.
“This is the first player I’ve ever known to get this kind of education level,” said Missions GM Burl Yarbrough.
Ripken not only studies the game to the highest degree, he’s earning the highest level of educational degree that one can attain.
“I was first went to Cal-Berkeley for my undergraduate degree and happen to graduate in three years,” said Reyes. “Then I got the opportunity to get my Masters degree in leadership studies at the University Of San Diego.”
And now Ripken is working on his PhD from USD.
“I applied, was accepted and I said, man, let’s try this out and see if we can do it. Its been lots of fun.”
“He could be laying back just playing baseball and enjoying the life,” said Yarbrough. “For him to be pursuing his education at the same time at that level is quite impressive.”
Ripken obviously has the respect and admiration of his teammates, and especially his skipper.
“Well I just think that it’s a goal of his,” said Missions Manager Luke Montz. “He’s gonna go out and crush it,” he added. “I think when Ripken Reyes puts his mind to something he is going to achieve it and get it done.”
And that is Ripken’s attitude with anything that is front and center. In this case baseball in the spring and summer, books in the fall.
“It is what I signed up for, but it is also really fun and rewarding,” he said. “There is nothing else I’d rather do. I get to play baseball and go to school at the same time. I still get to be a kid, and that’s kind of the fun thing.”
And Ripken’s schedule over the course had me wondering? Does he have any opportunity to ever take it easy?
“I guess not,” he said, smiling. “It is something that I wanna do. I wanna make an impact on my community. I wanna be an agent of change. I wanna do things that people haven’t done before, and this is preparing me for that.”
So think about that. We have Cal Ripken Jr, the Hall Of Famer, but now sooner than later we’re gonna have Dr. Ripken, just as impressive.
“I always wanna put my best foot forward for my community,” he said. “I’m not just a baseball player.”
We can all agree with that!
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