“I’m super excited to finally be able to wear the Maize and Blue. I’m just ready to win a Big 10 championship with the school that I’ve always wanted to go to and definitely live the life of a college baseball player,” says University of Michigan baseball commit Isaiah Paige. He has been preparing for this his whole life. Since the age of five, Isaiah has worked on perfecting his craft as one of the best up and coming pitchers in baseball, and he is only just getting started: “Wherever baseball takes me, I’m willing to go. It’s been my love since I was a kid and I’m not ready to stop now.”

 

After committing to the University of Michigan earlier this year, Paige has already started to learn of the role that he will play when he attends Michigan after he finishes his senior year at Damien High School (La Verne, CA) in 2017. “I plan on pitching and playing outfield when I get to Michigan. I would say I’m definitely a better pitcher, but my athleticism that I’ve been blessed with has allowed me to do both. Obviously, it’s kind of stressful because you’re trying to get your pitching work in, but you also have to get your hitting work in, but I’m willing to do both when I’m in Ann Arbor.”

This has been a huge strength in Paige’s game. His “team first” attitude is what separates him from most high school athletes, and this is apparent through his approach towards the game, as he says,“ I know that I’m not gonna get a hit on every single at-bat, but I’m just looking to contribute to the team as best I can, whether it’s getting a lead off walk or a hit. I’m just looking to contribute to my team.”

Despite his commitment to Michigan, Paige hasn’t ruled out the idea of going straight to the pros, saying, “Obviously, I wouldn’t like to close my options, but I just want to play baseball for as long as I can, regardless of whether it’s from college to pro or straight to pro.”

 

Ever since Paige began high school at Damien, he has excelled at every aspect of being a student-athlete. Not only is Paige an extraordinary baseball player, but he also is a great student. With a 3.5 GPA, Paige does a tremendous job of balancing school and sports. “As of now, I’ve been doing a pretty good job. You have to have a set schedule for what you’re gonna do and when you’re gonna do it. It’s all about preparation. You can’t slack off,” explained Paige. While it can be especially challenging to balance school and sports, especially during the recruiting process, Paige had a mixed response to the process: “In the beginning, it was obviously stressful. When you see baseball recruiting so young, you see guys like Nick Allen that commit so early, you think that your options are closing fast, but once the good things come, like this past summer, the recruiting process becomes a lot more fun. A lot of colleges were reaching out to me and I got to go on a lot of visits. It just became what I wanted it to be.” the high school Junior described.

 

A vital factor that could be attributed to Paige’s attention on the recruiting trail is his experience with his Summer Ball team, CBA Marucci. With CBA Marucci, Paige has the opportunity to play with players like Nick Allen, Blake Sabol, along with many other great high school players. “Playing for CBA, I’m just surrounded by talent, guys that are all going to Division 1 schools,” he said, “We all feed ideas off of one another; what works for us and what works for them, whether you’re a pitcher or a hitter. I’ve been able to learn so much from guys from CBA, older or younger, because we feed off of each other and give each other ideas to help us become better baseball players.”

Playing with CBA Marucci has helped Paige cement himself as one of the best players in the Class of 2017. While the added attention has brought many opportunities to Paige, it also puts a chip on his shoulder as he continues through high school, saying, “The pressure is on every time you step onto the field. Most guys know who you are. They know your tendencies as a pitcher and as a hitter, so I have a disadvantage in that, but there are a lot of great players out there and to even be in consideration as a top player in the 2017 class is an honor.”

 

As the pressure mounts, Paige must continue to stay focused if he plans to continue his baseball career and have a successful career at the University of Michigan. With his Junior season coming up and a college career awaiting him, Isaiah Paige is undoubtedly a player to watch out for in the Class of 2017 and high school baseball in general.