Few players in recent Saint Ignatius baseball memory have exhibited lightning quick speed and an ability to get on base like AJ Gaich.
The rising senior stormed onto the scene as a junior in 2018, tearing up the basepaths and scoring runs in bunches for the Baseball Cats.
Following his final campaign with the Cats in 2019, Gaich will head to the Ivy League. Gaich announced his commitment to Yale University on Tuesday afternoon.
"I’m super excited to have this opportunity," Gaich said. "Yale has been my #1 choice for some time and the fact that I’m able to pursue my dream is awesome. I’m super excited and can’t wait to be a Bulldog."
The Bulldogs' baseball program is receiving both a stellar baseball player and a young man. Gaich's smile and speed stood out for the Wildcats last year, making him a key cog of Head Coach Brad Ganor's squad.
Gaich finishes second on the team with a .393 batting average and fourth with a .463 on base percentage (minimum 20 at bats). He showed an uncanny ability to cross the plate, tabbing a team-best 28 runs this year. Staking the leadoff hitter spot, Gaich garnered 11 walks, bested in that category only by Michael Holdsworth and Michael McNamara.
But Gaich's crowning achievement came on the basepaths. Gaich swiped 35 bags, a full 27 bases more than the runner-up. Gaich's 35 stolen bases surpassed the previous single-season best of 30, set by Conor Hennessey in 2013.
His achievement caught eyes both inside and out of the Saint Ignatius baseball community. The Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association found a spot for Gaich on its second-team All-Ohio squad – a well-deserved honor. The Wildcats' coaching staff also named him the Co-Offensive and Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Gaich's efforts offensively, along with his golden glove at second base, earned him the high honor.
"AJ is high energy, he gets on the bases, it's almost like Little League again – you feel like he's going to steal a base everytime he's out there, which is a huge gamechanger," said Head Coach Brad Ganor. "When we don't have to bunt him over and he can steal on his own, that changes the whole dynamic of the game. He's obviously a fantastic athlete, but he's a better kid. When you have the academic chops to get into Yale, that says something about your work ethic and your God-given ability."
Baseball is important to Gaich, but academics matter more. That's why Yale was Gaich's dream school.
"I chose Yale because academics have always been important to me," Gaich said. "My parents and grandparents both made sure I understood I was a STUDENT-Athlete and that one day the game of baseball will no longer be there for me but my degree will always be there.
"With that being said I wanted a school where I would be challenged academically and where a degree from that school meant something (a lot like my diploma from Ignatius). Also, the coaches at Yale are incredible. They pay so much attention to detail and have great philosophies that I feel will help me grow as a player. Most importantly though, the coaches truly care about me as a person and don’t see me as just a player, but as part of their family and that’s special to me."
Gaich follows in the footsteps of many talented athletes, most recently Eric Williams '12, Mike Chime '17, and Phil Zuccaro '18. Gaich's future is dazzlingly bright at Yale and beyond.
"He's always played the game with a great intensity and focus," Ganor said. "He wants to give to the younger guys what he's learned. He's a great team guy, players rally around him. He's not one of those really good players who's off on his own, doing his own thing, he's truly a team player."
A humble young man, Gaich is thankful for his parents, teammates, and coaches for helping him become who he is today.
"I would like to thank my parents so much! They have spent so much time, money, energy, etc. helping me pursue this dream," said Gaich. "They have always supported me and I owe them the world. I would like to thank my teachers for molding me into the student I am today and without there help, I would not be able to think about going to such a challenging academic institution. I would also like to thank my coaches for helping me grow as a player.
"Finally, I would like to thank Coach Ganor. He did a lot of behind the scenes work for me and I truly appreciate everything he has done."