By Nick Romeo — Reporter
Robert Hamchuk has only begun to scratch the surface of a successful collegiate career.
The freshman outfielder had an illustrious career as a four-year varsity player in high school with accolades including first-team all-Bay Area News Group in 2019.
Hamchuk is no stranger to leaving coaches with positive first impressions. He’s done it in high school and now again in his first campaign with the Spartans.
The outfielder has a rich track record of being a model teammate for being an 18-year-old.
“Great kid. One of the better kids I’ve had the pleasure of coaching,” Leigh high school varsity coach Eric Pini said. “He’s the prototypical kid you want in your program who can lead by example.”
To reach your goals in life, it’s about taking that next step and being successful. That journey starts here.
So what drew him to San Jose State?
Both of Hamchuk’s parents went to SJSU, so the Spartan blood runs in the family. You can tell just by talking to him that he’s ecstatic to be here and chase his major-league dreams.
But SJSU wasn’t always Hamchuk’s first option.
“I was all set to go to Northridge, but some of the coaching stuff didn’t work out there,” Hamchuk said. “Then I talked to Flip about two months before I moved in. He called me up and said, do you want a spot here? And I said, ‘yeah, I do,’ so I was ready to go.”
In addition to the on-the-field achievements, Hamchuk has the intangibles to be successful at the collegiate level.
While it’s one thing to be a good athlete, it’s what one does away from the field that determines how far one can go. In the end, it’s what separates the athlete from everyone else.
“He’s a worker,” said head coach Brad Sanfilippo. “In order to be a good baseball player, you’ve got to put in the work when no one is watching. With his confidence and his work ethic, you can see that he belongs at this level.”
Both of his high school and college coaches are excited about what his future holds, but they don’t want to overhype him.
“I definitely can see him getting drafted,” Pini said. “His size and work ethic set him apart from other players.”
Hamchuk’s baseball career is just taking off, with the chance of being something special.
Remember, he’s just a freshman.
Follow Nick on Twitter @nromeo12