St. Francis CCC first baseman gave a verbal commitment to SJSU this weekend | Ibarra Family |
St. Francis Central Coast Catholic High baseball player Ruben Ibarra has given a verbal commitment to play baseball at San Jose State beginning in the 2017-18 season.
Ibarra, a 6-foot-4 265 pound first baseman, who will begin his senior year this August at the small Watsonville private school, wanted to have a school chosen before baseball season started next spring.
Getting a chance to play at Division I school in the Mountain West Conference, and one that's only an hour away from home, played big factors in his decision to select SJSU.
“Being close to home and the competition they have over there,” Ibarra said. “The new coaching staff is high level also which I like.”
Ibarra has earned first-team all-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League selection honors these past two seasons in helping lead the Sharks to back-to-back co-SCCAL titles and back-to-back Central Coast Section Open Division playoff births.
Ibarra will play under new SJSU head coach Jason Hawkins who will begin his first year as coach of the Spartans this spring.
For Ibarra, having his decision made and out of the way is a big stress reliever heading into his senior year.
Now the soon-to-be senior can just go out and play baseball.
“It feels good that I’ll have the chance to play baseball at a high level after my senior year,” Ibarra said. “I feel the pressure is off a lot now and I could go out there and just play baseball. That and having a chance to continue my education at San Jose State.”
Ibarra hasn’t quite closed the window on his football career either and said there’s a chance that he may play both at SJSU. He was a linemen and played some tight end for the Sharks, who the previous three seasons played an independent schedule before joining the North Coast Section’s Bay Football League for the upcoming season.
Time will tell on whether or not Ibarra steps foot on the gridiron for SJSU, but for now his focus is on playing baseball.
“It’s still up in the air,” Ibarra said. “For now I just want to thank my parents for their constant support and the rest of my family. They give me the drive.”
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