Nevada baseball commit Josh Romero is following path of brother, Phillies pitcher
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (BVM) 鈥� Some people read about their heroes, or watch them on television. Josh Romero happened to grow up with his, and it鈥檚 a big reason why the Yavapai College sophomore is where he is today.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 my hero,鈥� Romero said of his brother. 鈥淕rowing up, we were always in the backyard playing wiffle ball. He鈥檚 been really influential and it鈥檚 just a blessing to have him around for him to impact my life like that.鈥�
Romero鈥檚 brother and hero is JoJo, a Philadelphia Phillies pitcher who made his major-league debut last season and is currently battling for a spot in Philly鈥檚 bullpen this spring training. JoJo was a fourth-round draft pick in 2016 after a one-year stint at Josh鈥檚 current school (Yavapai).
No. 15 prospect JoJo Romero struck out the side (!) in his debut (!) tonight on just 12 (!) pitches.
The left-hander鈥檚 first K:
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB)
Josh鈥檚 first-row seat to JoJo鈥檚 journey to the big leagues has been a massive inspiration.
鈥淚 started seeing him go through the process: doing really good in high school, getting a Division I scholarship, winning a national championship and getting drafted,鈥� Josh said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a little kid, you can only dream of that. Seeing him go through that was like 鈥極h, wow, these things are possible.鈥欌��
Now, it appears Josh鈥檚 path is shaping up similar to his hero鈥檚.
The sophomore catcher hit .481 with a 1.200 OPS during his senior season at Oxnard High School, adding 12 extra-base hits in 81 at-bats and 12 steals. This season, Josh is hitting .286 with a homer and 10 RBIs in 12 games for the Roughriders.
Now in his second season at Yavapai, Josh is no longer a stranger to the junior college lifestyle. It鈥檚 not as glamorous as the experience of a Division I athlete, but it has afforded an athlete like Josh who has flown under the radar an opportunity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a grind (junior college),鈥� Josh said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have all of the facilities, big gyms or big athletic departments like at a big DI so everything is kind of on you. It really teaches you mental toughness.
鈥淵avapai, Coach Cougill and the staff gave me an opportunity to come here and it鈥檚 been a blessing as far as just a great opportunity. I wouldn鈥檛 change anything about it.鈥�
Josh said he feels he hasn鈥檛 even approached his peak yet, but he鈥檚 done enough to secure a spot on at least one Division I roster. The sophomore committed to Nevada on March 10 for what was a no-brainer decision.
鈥淚t鈥檚 never really been about how good or big the school is, it鈥檚 always been that I just want to play,鈥� Josh said. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked my tail off to put myself in a position to keep going in baseball and they (Nevada) gave me an opportunity.
鈥淭he phone calls that I had with Coach Buckley, he made me feel like he saw what I鈥檝e seen in myself for a long time.鈥�
Josh hasn鈥檛 been able to officially visit his future school, but he already has a feel for Nevada because of his brother.
Before JoJo鈥檚 one season at Yavapai which led to his fourth-round draft selection, he played for Nevada in 2015 when the Wolf Pack went 41-15 en route to the school鈥檚 first Mountain West title. JoJo pitched in 37 relief innings over 22 games while posting a 2.43 ERA and striking out 40 batters that year. He transferred to Yavapai the next season with the intention of joining Jay Johnson, the coach who recruited him to Nevada, but pitched well enough in his one season in Prescott to be drafted 107th overall.
https://twitter.com/jojothejet6/status/1369851632066961410
The advice from JoJo means a lot more because he鈥檚 been where Josh is headed. Junior college was never the ideal destination for someone like JoJo who felt he belonged on a Division I roster, Josh said, but he made the best of it.
Similar sentiments have been shared with Josh.
鈥淗e (JoJo) told me to enjoy it (recruiting) because I saw him going through that process and, as a little kid, I always dreamed of that,鈥� Josh said. 鈥淚 put it in perspective that I鈥檓 living what I鈥檝e always wanted to do.
鈥淗e (JoJo) told me that it鈥檚 never about where you go, it鈥檚 about what you make of it.鈥�
Nevada has four catchers on its 2021 roster, but starter Marco Valenzuela is a senior which means Josh could compete for the starting job when he gets to Reno next season where he鈥檒l have two years of eligibility remaining. That鈥檚 just step one of the plan for Josh, and just the first thing on a long list of goals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always the process that鈥檚 the biggest part,鈥� Josh said. 鈥淎fter Nevada I want to continue my baseball career as long as I can and, in my eyes, Nevada is going to give me the best opportunity to do so.鈥�
