Photo by Zalen Hicks
Nico Cappucci
Nico is a junior at Strawberry Crest High School where he plays for the Chargers Varsity baseball team. He’s having a great season so far, including a .362 batting average, 17 hits, 17 runs, and 13 RBIs.
How long have you been playing baseball?
I have been playing since I was 3 years old.
Do you have a favorite career moment/highlight for baseball?
My favorite moment in baseball is more recent, during my freshman year, I hit a game-winning triple against Middleton. It wasn’t like it was a dominating arm or anything, but it was my first game and I got the little charger chain we had, it meant a lot to me, especially to start my high school baseball career.
What do you think is your biggest strength when it comes to baseball?
My biggest strength is definitely my mentality and composure. A lot of players I’ve played with or against are very hot-headed, and it messes with their game. I am very good at keeping my composure and erasing what happened during the at-bat or play before, and it helps me play a lot better. I like to think there isn’t any pitcher that can beat me skill-wise, and it makes me more competitive at the plate.
Has playing baseball taught you any life lessons? If so, what?
Baseball itself hasn’t really taught me any super outstanding lessons but the people that play the game, especially more experienced players, have told me extremely helpful lessons like at the end of the day, baseball is just a game always meant to be loved and shouldn’t be stressful or affect you outside of the game.
What’s your favorite thing about playing for Strawberry Crest?
My team is built around people I have played with for my whole life, like Toby Highsmith. I have known him since we were 9 years old and he is by far one of the most trustworthy people I know outside of baseball and behind the plate, Chase Conti, Dillon Knight, Reuben Vasquez, and Saxon Shah. It’s easy to play when you can trust your team and have faith in your team, and the long-lasting bond we have makes us play a lot more loose
Do you have a favorite MLB player or college player? If so, who and why?
Even though I always played baseball, I never watched Major League Baseball like crazy, but when I was little, I was in love with Didi Gregorius. Maybe it was just because I was little, but he had the smoothest swing ever to me and I loved watching him swing the bat, definitely my favorite swing, and it made me love hitting.
What’s an area of your game that you want to improve in?
I want to improve my fielding. I rush a lot of my plays, and it messes with me a lot lately. My coaches help a lot with just making the play. It sounds so easy, but as a baseball player, the easiest things can sometimes be the hardest
When you’re not playing baseball, what are you doing in your free time?
Baseball has been everything to me, and when you surround yourself with what you’re doing in the game, that sometimes it affects your game, so I always have something that I can go to and forget about baseball for a little bit, to have my mind relaxed, like playing video games with Dillon Knight or golfing. Those two things are fun to play and they keep my mind relaxed.
Do you have any game day rituals by yourself or with the team?
I used to be very superstitious and I still sometimes kind of think I have to listen to the same songs or do the same stretches, but when I go into the dugout and just talk and have fun with my friends and teammates, I seem to play my best so that’s my pregame.
What are your favorite songs to get you hyped for game day?
I listen to a lot of Drake before games but sometimes I listen to classic rock music. My music taste is everywhere so whatever is what I’m feeling is what I’m listening to.
