Former Laguna Niguel player wins Ivy League championship with … – OCRegister

It’s been a big year for Laguna Niguel native Harrison White.

An alumnus of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School in 2013, White, 22, graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s in political science while helping his team win the Ivy League Baseball Championship. He led his team with an on-base percentage of .479 in his senior year.

As he prepares for the NCAA Regional Championships beginning Friday, June 2, White spoke with the Register about his years playing baseball.

Q: Why did you choose to attend Yale?

A: For me, the opportunity to obtain an Ivy League education in addition to having the opportunity to play baseball at the Division 1 level was something I could not turn down. First, I knew Yale would prepare me academically for anything I wanted to do with my life. Secondly, I knew that the baseball was high enough caliber that I was really going to have to work hard to have success and that was something I looked forward to.

Having said that, it’s a slightly more accessible level of baseball than, say, Pac-12 baseball where I might not have gotten much playing time. So the opportunity to play baseball at a high level and be an integral part of the team in addition to obtaining a high-quality education was pretty much a no-brainer.

Q: What skills or lessons did you pick up in high school athletics that have stayed with you through college?

A: In high school, I played both football and baseball, and I think that was a big advantage for my development as an athlete. Playing two sports gave me an opportunity to cycle back and forth between the two depending on the season and made it so that I didn’t get burnt out in either sport. I think the training I did for football definitely helped me on the baseball field because I became more agile, faster, stronger and tougher while playing football. Obviously, those are all good attributes to take onto the baseball field as well.

Q: Is there a professional baseball player you enjoy watching more than others? If so, who?

A: I love watching Mike Trout. He’s obviously a fantastic player, but he also always looks like he’s having fun and that’s something I really value. A lot of times, guys will get so wrapped up in their performance, they’ll forget that they’re out there on a baseball field on a sunny Saturday afternoon playing a game. Games are supposed to be fun and it looks like Trout does a good job at having fun while also being serious enough to produce. I also love watching Josh Donaldson because he’s so knowledgeable about hitting. I used to love watching Joe Mauer, Troy Glaus and Tim Salmon when I was little.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After graduation, I’ll be heading somewhere in the U.S to play in the regionals. Once our season is over, I’ll head to Boston in the fall to take classes at Harvard in order to complete my pre-med requirements. From there, I’ll be able to take the MCAT, apply to med school and really get my medical career path underway. I couldn’t be more excited for that.