Gopal Ready For The Whole Experience At Navy

Sachin Gopal RHP / Dexter Southfield, MA / 2025

WELLESLEY, Ma. - The decision to reclassify proved to be the right decision in the eyes of Sachin Gopal, who is now a commit to the United States Naval Academy.

“That benefitted me massively,” the 25th-rated 2025 in New England said about his reclassification on July 1 of 2023. “I can’t say enough how coach (Daniel) Donato at Dexter helped me. He knows what he’s talking about and he helped me with every step this high school season.”

With offers in from Patriot League schools along with interest from high-academic Power 5s, Gopal narrowed his top three choices down to Navy and a school from the Big 10 and Ivy League during his extended recruiting process.

“I was mainly an Ivy guy but I wanted to broaden my horizons so I reclassified and a lot more options came up, including some Power 5s,” Gopal explained. “I started talking in October with the pitching coach at Navy and the more we talked the more they went up on the list.”

Up to the point that after being seen by Navy while playing in Georgia, Gopal was offered.

“That was one of the top five moments in my life,” Gopal said of the phone call with Navy following an outing in which the 6-0 175-pounder allowed two hits and one walk in 5.2 innings, striking out eight with a velo between 87 and 89.

“I had gone on a visit with my dad on June 18 and on July 2 I went with my mom, dad and sister,” Gopal reflected. “I committed on that visit.”

It was the right thing to do according to 21st-ranked 2025 in Massachusetts.

“Navy just stuck out,” Gopal explained. “I love the coaches. I believe in what they want and the goals they have for the team. My parents also liked them which is important to me.

“Another Nokona teammate is there now, Andrew Manning, and I talked to him about it. I like the challenges there. It just felt like the right place for me.”

The 11th-rated senior right-handed pitcher in Massachusetts also found that to be the case with Dexter Southfield, his school of choice after attending Wellesley at the beginning of high school.

“When I transferred to a prep school I was hit around and at that point knew I needed to add to my arsenal,” Gopal noted. “I added a two-seam and a change and now I can throw four pitches for strikes.”

The 18-year-old produced a 5-0 record with a 1.58 ERA this past high school season, fanning 30 and walking just six in 31 innings for Dexter.

“We faced Division I commits all the time,” Gopal said. “The competition has forced me to become better and I’ve improved mentally. You’re gonna get hit around, the only thing that’s important is your next pitch.”

While the challenges at Dexter are immense, there is no comparison with what lies ahead at Navy.

“I know it will be hard,” Gopal admitted. “But I feel the physical challenges at Navy will turn me into a better person and a better baseball player. I’m a little nervous, but I’m very excited about it.”

Navy saw a lot to like in the 51st-ranked 2025 in New England.

“My mentality and that I can throw pitches for strikes stood out to them,” Gopal noted. “They like my tempo, and how I command the game.”

Improved size has been a big part of making his dream of playing at the next level become a reality.

“Playing college baseball is something I’ve always wanted to do but I wasn’t physically ready for it,” Gopal related. “In ninth grade I was 5-6 100 pounds and my coach sat me down and said ‘that size isn’t going to work for you.’ Hitting the gym, eating more and strength coach CJ Parsons helped me out and now I’m 6-0 185 pounds.

“The physicality part is big,” continued Gopal. “There was no junk food or soda. Once all that happened is when I realized college baseball was possible.”

John Elliot was the coach who inspired Gopal’s drive to get bigger, and even when moving from California in seventh grade the two stayed in contact, playing for his teams in the summer.

There was additional assistance in his baseball journey.

“PBR helped jump-start my recruiting process,” Gopal noted. “I went to the Future Games in 2022 and that’s when I was seen by a bunch of schools. Two of my top 10 schools, both Ivys, texted my coach. That’s when my recruitment started. Then there was off-season training and the Nokona Scout Day and a couple more reached out and came to watch me in high school.

“It was all stressful, everything was riding on how I pitched. Schools changing coaches was also a stressful part. But I enjoyed it, there were no bad options for me. All the coaches I talked to I liked, but ultimately Navy was the best fit for me.”

A major in engineering is the plan for Gopal, a 4.5 student at Wellesley who has a 4.28 at Dexter and scored a 1460 on his SAT.

“My goal is to be a weekend starter,” Gopal said. “I think my mentality and the exposure I’ve had separates me from a lot of people. I don’t get rattled. I’m not soft. I bring composure, a strong mentality and the ability to throw strikes to get outs in big situations.”

Knowing the Naval Academy is in his future is, admittedly, a great feeling.

“It was a long process, two years coming,” Gopal said. “I give a thank you to Nokona, Dexter, Wellesley and my old team Legends Baseball.”

There is also a lot to look forward to at the university in Annapolis, Md., located eight hours from home.

“Baseball itself and meeting new kids,” Gopal concluded in listing what he’s anticipating taking place at Navy. “I want to become the best soldier I can be and do well academically and in baseball. I’m excited for the whole experience.”