Corleone Desimone is a 5'11 middle infielder from Jimtown High School. Desimone recently committed to play baseball at Adrian College. PBR had a chance to talk with Desimone about his college choice and baseball in general...


PBR: What were your stats last season at Jimtown High School?
Corleone: Last year I had a team high batting average of .456 and an on base percentage of .549.  I was awarded NSC All-Conference honorable mention for shortstop along with the mental attitude award. 

PBR: Why did you choose Adrian College?
Corleone: Adrian College is a perfect fit for me.  I am planning on majoring in Accounting and they have an excellent business school.  On top of that, it is a very lively campus with a lot of great activities to do.  It is a bonus that their baseball team is very successful.  They have the nicest facilities I have seen and just added a brand new hitting facility for baseball.

PBR: What other schools were you considering?
Corleone: I visited 8 schools and had it narrowed down to a few.  My final three choices were Adrian, Siena Heights University, and Franklin College.  Adrian seemed to stick out and I knew that it would be a great fit for me.

PBR: Where did Adrian College first see you compete?
Corleone: Adrian first saw me play at Demarini Top 96 showcase in the summer after my sophomore year.  They saw me in game action for the first time at their place in my Scrappers fall ball season of my junior year. 

PBR: What role do the coaches expect you to play during your first year on campus?
Corleone: Adrian is graduating a few middle infielders and they hope to see me step in and be successful in fall ball and then will decide my role after that.  I hope to have a great fall ball season and hopefully have a chance to see some varsity playing time my freshman year. I have played multiple positions and I hope that my versatility will help me gain the most possible playing time. 

PBR: What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that will help Adrian?
Corleone: I have had to earn everything I have received and that will help me out a lot.  I am a very hard worker and I am very familiar with starting with a clean slate.  I know what it takes to be successful and my work ethic will play a large role in that.  I love a challenge and will do whatever it takes to contribute to the team’s success.  I take pride in my overall game but especially take pride in my hitting.  I feel like that is my biggest strength due to my capabilities of spraying the ball to all areas of the field. 

PBR: Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?
Corleone: My father has had the biggest impact on me.  He has coached me throughout my entire life and knows what to fix whenever I’m struggling.  Whether it’s a slump or a confidence problem, he is always there to help me out.  We have an indoor hitting facility and he will go out there every night to throw me BP if I ask.  He has helped me through this whole recruiting process and has made it a lot easier than I thought. There are so many people that have given me the opportunity to play this great game. I would like to thank Coach Brian Blondell and all associated with the Scrapper organization. I want to thank all of my Jimtown High School coaches as they too have helped with improving my overall skills. A special thanks to all the people that have helped me through sponsorships which helped me with all the expenses affiliated with travel ball.  To all relatives that traveled to watch me play the game I love and respect, a big thanks to all of you as well.

PBR: What was your most exciting experience this summer playing for the Michiana Scrappers?
Corleone: My most memorable moment from this summer is when we defeated the number 1, 4, and 11 ranked teams in the nation.  We faced them in a tournament and happened to pull off a few upsets.  I had a total of 11 RBI’s, 3 doubles, and a homerun in these three games. 

PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher you have faced in Indiana?
Corleone: The toughest pitcher I have faced in Indiana is Rodney Betcher.  He was a high school conference rival who threw very well.  He happened to be a teammate of mine on the Scrappers and excelled greatly in the summer.  He attends Kankakee Community College as of right now.

PBR: What are your goals both individually and for the team going into your senior season?
Corleone: As for everyone, our goal this year is to go to State.  We finished second in our conference last year but should be able to achieve first this year.  We only graduated two senior starters and have a strong nucleus back.  As for personal goals, I hope to have more success than last year in every category. After playing this past summer and fall for the scrappers, I believe it helped me improve my defense skills in the MI.  I lead our HS team in several categories in which I hope to do the same this year.  I also hope to lead our team to a more successful season and accomplish 20+ wins.

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