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WESTON, Mass. — Marco Buchbinder, Jr. (18) is making his mark both on and off the baseball field. In 4th grade, he started playing baseball as a Little Leaguer and has mostly played second and third base as well as shortstop throughout his baseball career. Recently, he has focused more on shortstop, but also plays second base when needed.

At 12 years old, realizing he wanted more baseball as it was quickly becoming a passion and his primary sport, Marco joined Legends Baseball, an AAU baseball team. In fall 2022, Marco joined North East Baseball Club (NEB).

Marco is known for having a strong work ethic and for being very goal oriented. This includes working hard off the field to help support his on-field skills – working out in the off-season at the NEB facility two days each week and lifting three other times each week at home with a program NEB specifically designed for him to increase both his strength and mobility. Marco also focuses on his nutrition and is committed to getting at least eight hours of sleep each night to facilitate daily recovery.

All of this hard work has paid off. In December, he participated in the Perfect Game National Underclass Baseball Showcase in Florida, which exposed him to college and professional scouts, and he was named to the Top Prospect List and the Top Prospect Team and received an All-American Honorable Mention.

This Spring, he was chosen as a Co-Captain of the WHS Varsity Baseball team and was named to the DCL All-League team. Marco was a strong contributor to the Varsity team winning the DCL Small and making the playoffs.

In addition to baseball, Marco has played for the WHS Varsity Golf team since 2021 and swam for the WHS Varsity Swim team during his freshman year.

But, what he may be most proud of is having created an event with his brother, Matteo, and a friend from the Wellesley Varsity Golf team called 3 Clubs for Cancer. Last year was the inaugural year where the Wellesley and Weston Varsity Golf teams joined forces to raise over $7,000 for Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. They are dreaming even bigger for this year’s event to be held in Fall 2023. With Marco’s drive and determination, we know he will accomplish this and any other goal he sets for himself.

Congrats, Marco!

Interview with Marco:

What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?

Marco Buchbinder, Jr.: I hope to help the Weston baseball team win a state championship and find continued success next year.

What do you love about your sport?

Buchbinder, Jr.: I love the challenge of hitting, because I think it is the most difficult thing to do in all sports. You are expected to fail more than succeed, so success feels even better.

What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?

Buchbinder, Jr.: The mental side of baseball. To manage it, I have read books about improving my mental game, and I practice breathing techniques during stressful situations.

What was the best advice you were ever given?

Buchbinder, Jr.: Focus on what I can control and trust in my preparation and hard work.

Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.

Buchbinder, Jr.: During my first season of AAU, I started the year without a hit in my first 10 at bats. Instead of telling myself that I was in a slump, I focused on making adjustments that helped me end up batting .455 on the season.

Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?

Buchbinder, Jr.: I try to hit on my own for 30-60 minutes before each game to lock in mentally and get comfortable with my swing. It helps me to be confident in the game because I know that I am prepared.

What has being a member of a team taught you?

Buchbinder, Jr.: Everyone has to work together to find success. I’ve noticed that it’s much easier to win and have fun when everyone has confidence in themselves and the players around them instead of being self-centered and only caring about their own individual performance.

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