BRONX, N.Y. - Adonys Guzman has made a college commitment without playing high school ball the past two years.

An injury meant no action as a sophomore, resulting in a decision to reclassify. Last season there was COVID-19, which meant no chance to show what he can do.

Yet, the determined Guzman fought through difficult times and now has a future home at Boston College.

“It started last year at the PBR Future Games,” noted Guzman, who played on Team New York at the PBR event in 2019. “After the first game I reached out to a coach.”

Shooter Hunt, PBR National Crosschecker, had good things to say after watching him.

“Guzman wowed on-lookers with his defensive prowess at the Future Games with pop times between 1.87-1.95 on the bag with plenty of carry.” Hunt said last fall about the then uncommitted player. “His defensive abilities will help carry him as a prospect, and with power potential at the plate, college coaches are sure to be following closely.”

Admittedly, things went slowly for Guzman, now a junior at Brunswick School in Connecticut.

“Really it’s been a long process,” Guzman said. “We’ve talked over a year, we’ve built a relationship and one thing led to another.”

While the virus eliminated the opportunity for Boston College to see the 5-10 185-pounder in action at the high-school level this past campaign, it did not prevent conversation from continuing.

“During all the pandemic stuff we spoke every single week,” Guzman related. “It’s why I stayed motivated. It kept me going. They helped me out with small things … things like what to do at home.”
An offer eventually came in July, but Guzman did not jump at it with Michigan, another school showing interest.

“I decided to wait,” Guzman noted. “But after thinking about it, I realized they had good things to offer athletic wise.”

That was just part of the decision for Guzman, who was also talking with Maryland at one point in the recruiting process.

“Their academics caught my attention,” Guzman pointed out. “As a catcher, you may go down at some point in time and never be the same. They can provide me academically, it’s more than just being a baseball player.”

However, there is a major plus on the baseball side of things for Guzman at BC.

“Coach (Alex) Trezza played 12 seasons of pro ball,” Guzman explained about the Boston College assistant. “He’s a pitching coach who was a catcher, so he’s been through it. He’ll definitely help me get where I want to go.”

Like most ballplayers, that is a step beyond college baseball.

“The short-term goal is college, but the long term-goal is MLB,” Guzman said. “Honestly, since I was about 10-years-old that’s what I’ve wanted to do but my parents have always been telling me how important college was.”

The next level potential came a bit later.

“Around the age of 14 I started attending PBR showcases and a lot of D-I schools started reaching out,” Guzman said. “As a kid you think the chances of that happening is a stretch, but it became a reality.”

Boston College liked what they saw in the backstop from the Bronx.

“Their thing was, they think I can be a leader for them,” Guzman explained. “They like my defensive ability and they think I can help on the offensive side.”

There is a lot Guzman believes he can provide the Atlantic Coast Conference program.

“As a catcher I pride myself in being a smart player,” Guzman noted. “I feel I can bring leadership on and off the field and be someone that everyone can rely on and be good for the team.”

Making improvements in his game is vital.

“I’ve really focused on the little things with receiving and being quicker,” Guzman related. “At that level the speed of the game changes dramatically from high school so I definitely need to improve my speed. I’ve also got to work on my body and get stronger.”

An additional year with reclassifying will help in that regard.

“I was a younger 2021,” Guzman explained about the decision to become a 2022. “I’m only 16 so it will really help me. Obviously you’re not as strong at 16 as you are at 17. I was always playing against kids that are older so I was at a disadvantage physically.”

A 3.4 student likely to major in the business field, Guzman pointed to his parents and coaches along the way as being his biggest influences.

“It starts with my parents and the amount of sacrifices they make daily,” Guzman said. “All my coaches from age seven until now have taught me something. In Little League it was discipline and how to handle myself. In high school it’s that I can always improve to become the best you, whether you’re off the field or on.”

The feeling of a commitment admittedly brings a sense of relief to Guzman, who a year ago came away impressed after seeing the BC campus while attending a baseball camp.

“I’m so happy I found a home,” explained Guzman, who lives three-and-a-half hours from Boston College. “The recruiting process was actually better than I thought. It was hard, but it was good. It was a good problem, not a bad problem. Now I’m where I want to go. What a relief to find a place where I fit in.”