Trevor Moore headed to Stanford

 

It proved challenging, there weren’t nearly as many games and opportunities as he had hoped and the ability of scouts to witness what he can do was limited because of the coronavirus (COVID-19), but Trevor Moore has committed to college baseball.

The Mullen junior recently announced he will be headed to Stanford.

Saying he’s “extremely excited,” Moore also considers himself lucky.

“Some states still had baseball with the corona thing going on and I got to go there and play,” he said. “Nobody could really see the games in person, but a few good guys kept in touch with the colleges … I got a few good offers and Stanford was the place for me.”

Moore’s parents, Tim and Leslie, were student-athletes with the Cardinal and an aunt and an uncle also attended Stanford.

A right-handed pitcher who is approaching mid-90 mph regularly with his fastball, Moore also is a legitimate threat as a hitter and left-side infielder.

Calling his commitment “rock solid,” Moore said his recruiting ”was a slow process. Nobody could see you play. It was a tough adjustment to make.”

Showing promise immediately as a Mustang – he hit a home run in his first varsity game – Moore was a regular as a freshman, but only got to play one game as a sophomore, when the Mustangs rolled Highlands Ranch 11-1 before COVID-19 shut down everything.

However, he was able to play on a few traveling teams, including under former Mustangs star and major-league pitcher Mark Holzemer. Moore, who can play shortstop or third base when not pitching, said the Cardinal like him on the mound, although Mustangs head coach Nick Arcuri said he can foresee his front-liner also contributing as a fielder and hitter. The coach said Moore, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, is that good of an athlete with plenty of room to grow.

“I think it’s a good deal,”Arcuri said “It’s good for him to get to Stanford and he puts in the work. And it’s great for the school. It brings attention to us, the school and the program in general. It’s a win-win for everybody. It’s an awesome thing.”

Holzemer, who heads Slammers Baseball, said the gifted Moore was with his team that traveled to the likes of Georgia, Florida and Cincinnati, and fared well against high-end competition.

“I had heard a lot about him as a player and seen him over the years, and heard he was a really a good kid, which all played out to be actually true,” Holzemer said. “He’s very serious. He gets his work done and everything to prepare himself to play. He’s very mature for his age, he’s a really good player, a really good kid and it’s a really good fit for him academically.”

Holzemer also said he’s familiar with the kind of player Stanford seeks and Moore fits the description.

Both Arcuri and Holzemer agree that Moore, primarily recruited as a pitcher, also may get a look-see as a position player because of his all-around skills.

“He’s touching 93 (mph) on the gun with some room to grow,” Arcuri said. “I really think that if I’m a college coach and I have that type of player in my program, no matter what they do he could play a lot in the field, probably third base. He could me a (No.) 3 or 5 hitter.”

Said Holzemer: “He’s worth a look.”

Moore is Mullen’s first baseball player headed to Stanford since Maverick Handley, a decorated catcher who left the Cardinal in 2019 after his junior year, when he was drafted 168^th overall by the Baltimore Orioles.

New Mullen athletic director Damian Brown said “we’re extremely proud of (Moore) and hope he’s just one of the many successes we want for our kids. And we’re looking for him to do big things for himself, his family, his team and his school.”

Moore said his grades are under control – “So far, so good,” he said – and is working toward a major at Stanford. There is engineering in his family, he’s into mathematics and agreeable with advanced prosthetics.

But he’s more concerned with changing the current COVID-19 conditions and for the future.

“Hopefully, things will get cleared up by next summer for the kids ahead of me,” he said. “I hope this corona thing gets figured out so nobody has to go through that process.”