St. Louis University High School Class of 2014 MIF John Ceriotti moved to the St. Louis area last summer, and looks to bring the experiences he had in Tennessee to Missouri. Currently under the radar for much of the competition, Ceriotti has impressed through two PBR events over the last few months, showing to have smooth fielding abilities and ability at the plate; something the St. Louis University High School will need this year to compliment their strong starting pitching and returning starters in the field.

We recently caught up with Ceriotti to get his thoughts on the transition from Tennessee to Missouri and expectations for the upcoing season and beyond.

PBR: What do you expect going into your junior season?
Ceriotti: I expect to encounter strong competition in the St. Louis area, similar to Tennessee, yet in a more compacted season due to weather and the MO state high school program.  I am looking forward to joining the Varsity program at SLUH, and giving my teammates another player they can depend on to make our team a leader in the MCC and the St. Louis area.  I am also looking forward to playing on the different field surfaces in St. Louis. In Tennessee, and other parts of the Southeastern U.S., the fields are all hard-packed clay and Bermuda grass based infields making it a very quick game.

PBR: What is your biggest strength as a player?
Ceriotti: My biggest strength is my ability to hit the ball anywhere in the strike zone (plate coverage) to any field while understanding the game situation at that moment.  I have been taught very well by experienced professional & college level players (my coaches)to approach the game from a situational perspective.  Coaches have remarked that I have quick hands at the plate and the ability to be aggressive to the ball.  Much of my hitting success has come from the coaching of two key individuals: current hitting coach Vince Loggins of the Rawlings Prospects and Coach Larry Simcox of the University of Tennessee.

The coaching I have had has helped to strengthen my defensive skills such as improving my footwork to get to the ball,  increasing my range, developing soft hands, and improving my arm strength for the throws across the diamond.  I really enjoy playing defense anywhere in the field, and have learned to be versatile from my former Travel Club coach Mike Rivera of Diamond Baseball-Simcox Academy in Knoxville, TN.

I have been told I am a very coachable player with a positive attitude and strong aptitude to learn something after being taught once by my coaches.

PBR: What aspect of your game do you believe needs the most improvement?
Ceriotti: I want to continue to develop the ability to be quieter in the batter’s box which will then allow me to develop an improved swing for more power at the plate.  Continually working toward improving my overall strength will help my progress and provide me with greater power at the plate.

PBR: What are your expectations and experiences in the recruiting process?
Ceriotti: Expectations: I hope to continue to have opportunities to give coaches from the next level the ability to get “good looks” at my baseball skills during the high school season, showcases, tournaments and college camps.  Hopefully at the same time they are noting my academic achievements that could provide for a scholar-athlete for their program.

Experiences: I have been fortunate to be invited and to attend a few college showcases including:  Tulane University, Lehigh University, two Missouri PBR showcases, & Perfect Game tournaments.  I have received multiple letters and email from college coaches and recruiting coordinators noting my academic achievements and recommendations from a number of my coaches.

Recently, I accepted an invitation to play for the 19U American International Baseball team, traveling to the Dominical Republic.

PBR: Coming from Tennessee and facing the caliber of player in that state, what do you expect from the competition you will face in Missouri?
Ceriotti: I am not certain if Tennessee is known as a baseball state here in the Midwest, but it certainly has strong baseball ties professionally, at the collegiate level, at the high school level, and for travel clubs.  During my time in Tennessee, a number of the Top 50 teams in the country came from the Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis areas.  My high school was in the top district of the state. The State Champion or Finalist came from that district during each of the past 7 seasons. I faced very tough competition from players who have gone on to play in the SEC, ACC, C-USA.  Others were drafted out of high school like Nicky Delmonico, Philip Pfeifer, and A.J. Simcox.  As far as what to expect from Missouri HS baseball, I would consider the competition to be just as fierce from what I experienced during the Fall St. Louis Scout League.  There are many very strong players in this area and it was great to be able to play with them and compete against them.  My teammates at SLUH are competitive players, and I have enjoyed working with them during the off-season.

PBR: How has your adjustment been so far in transferring to SLUH and your involvement with the team?
Ceriotti: My adjustment with the transfer to SLUH has been much smoother than I anticipated. The academic aspects of SLUH are tough, yet similar in many ways to the classes I took at Knoxville Catholic High School.  I am very glad we made the move back to St. Louis. My junior classmates have been very accepting of me in the classroom and on the baseball field.  The seniors on the baseball team, who I have been able to get to know, are very strong leaders and good teammates to work with each day during the off-season.

PBR: What type of program would you like to play at? What is most important to you: Caliber of program, coaching staff, academics, etc…?
Ceriotti: The academic offerings and majors available at a school will be the deciding factor for me when I do determine where I want to go play baseball at the next level.  I will not take the athletic side of the equation lightly as I would like to play at a school that provides a strong academic environment with a very competitive baseball program. 

PBR: What schools are you most interested in right now, and why?
Ceriotti: At this time, I have not made any decisions about which school to attend, but I am looking forward to working with my parents, coaches, advisors, and friends to discuss the attributes of a number of the schools in which I have interest.  Some of the schools I am interested in include: Cornell, Embry-Riddle, Florida Institute of Technology, Yale, Colorado School of Mines, Tulane, Lehigh, Missouri S&T, Dartmouth, Tulsa, Rice…..I am interested in schools offering  Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering majors, and that have a very competitive baseball program at any of the NCAA levels.  I am looking for a good GPA and ACT match for myself and the school.

PBR: What were your personal goals for the 2012 season and were they met? Goals for the 2013 season?
Ceriotti: 2012: I had two goals…to improve my hitting “gap-power” and to extend and increase my fielding and throwing range in the field.  I strongly believe I accomplished both goals.  First…I hit two HRs, three 3Bs, and 10 2Bs during the high school season. Second,  I continued to work through the summer with my travel coach on my footwork, fielding angles, and quick release to maximize my fielding and throwing ranges, not only in the middle infield positions but at third base as well.

2013: I have two goals.  First, I want to continue to develop my personal strength through my off-season and in-season conditioning programs.  This will help continue to increase my power at the plate and my strength in the field.  Second, I want to become an integral part of the SLUH Varsity program and the Rawlings Prospect club as a starter and a leader both on and off the field.

PBR: What team do you play for in the summer?
Ceriotti: During the past two summer seasons, I played with Diamond Baseball-Simcox Academy out of Knoxville, TN.  The club was lead by former University of Tennessee coach Larry Simcox, along with my head coach Mike Rivera (LA Dodgers organization and Univ. of Tennessee), and his teammate Derek Tharpe (Oakland Athletics organization and Univ. of Tennessee).  This summer, 2013, I am playing for the Rawlings Prospects 17U with Coaches Whaley, Loggins and Sinovich.

PBR: What is your fondest memory or highlight from your 2012 baseball season (High School or Summer)?
Ceriotti: I believe my fondest memory of 2012 was hitting my first high school home run to lead off the game versus a conference opponent.  It was a great feeling to bring together all I had been taught about a good and powerful swing and then to drive the ball over the LC field wall. 

PBR: What is your most memorable moment in baseball so far in your life?
Ceriotti: My most memorable moment is probably when I threw a “no-hitter” against Maryville High, a conference opponent, my freshman year.  It was really an awesome experience, especially with the support of my teammates (and the dogpile at the end of the game).

PBR: You have attended a couple of PBR Showcases, what are your thoughts on how it will be beneficial to you as you keep moving forward in the recruiting process?
Ceriotti: I have attended two PBR Showcases, and I believe the results of my work at the Showcases will be very beneficial to me and the coaches while we move forward through this process.  I believe once college coaches review the Showcase written information, highlighting my skill level and style of baseball, coupled with the Showcase videos, and the input from direct conversations with the PBR evaluation scouts who will also highlight my academic strengths, I will continue to increase the opportunities available to me as a “student-athlete.” 

The level of exposure PBR provides will truly help me through this recruiting process.  I am anticipating college coaches will be able to evaluate and understand how hard I work, and succeed, in both a highly academic environment like SLUH, as well as in practice, games, and showcases to compete at a high level in baseball.