The fall has come to an end and we are now getting geared up for another great high school baseball season in Louisiana.  West Monroe High School finished as the Class 5A State Runner-Up in 2021 and look to be primed to make another run this spring.  One of the key pieces to their team last season was 2024 Hayden Federico.  As a freshman, Federico held down the "hot corner" for the Rebels and hit in the 2 hole, in front of 2021 Josh Pearson, who was arguably the most feared hitter in the state last year.  Federico has been a hot name on the recruiting trail and this past week, the sophomore infielder gave Coach Mike Bianco and staff an early Christmas present, by announcing his commitment to Ole Miss.  Below, we discuss his commitment, among other things, in our latest edition of "Commitment Spotlight".  Congratulations again to Hayden Federico and his family on this great accomplishment!

 

-Congratulations on committing to Ole Miss!  What led you to choose the Rebels?

Ole Miss is a place where I feel like I can go and not only become a better player, but a better person.  It is a winning program and has one of the best fan bases in college baseball.  They have great coaches and they handled this recruiting process extremely well.  My goal is to ultimately be a big leaguer and I know going to Ole Miss will give me an opportunity to do that!

 

-All players have people that have helped them along their journey.  Who would you like to thank for helping you get to this point today?

First, I'd like to thank God for blessing me and allowing me to play this great game.  I'd like to thank my mom for taking me to tournaments over the years and supporting me through the ups and downs.  Next, I'd like to thank my dad for teaching me the game of baseball and encouraging me along the way.  Also, I'm very appreciative of all my dad's players and coaches for sharing their baseball knowledge with me.  I'm thankful for the Ole Miss coaching staff for believing in me and giving me an opportunity.  Lastly, I'd like to thank my coaches at West Monroe High School and the Louisiana Knights organization for helping me become a better ball player!

 

-Young prospects are always asking for advice on the recruiting process and if playing multiple sports in high school is a good idea.  You play both football and baseball at Class 5A power West Monroe.  What advice would you give up and coming prospects on the recruiting process and also, we'd love to hear about your experience playing multiple sports?

Everyone's recruiting process is different and if you compare yourself to others it will only hurt you.  Play hard and have fun every time you step on the field and when you get an opportunity, make the most of it.  You don't have to only play baseball to get recruited either.  You only get one chance at life, and if you love another sport, then go play or you'll regret it the rest of your life.  I play quarterback in football and I think it has only made me a better baseball player.  It is a lot of pressure and everyone is looking at you when the game is on the line, but those situations have made me a better player in both baseball and football.

 

-You guys finished as the Class 5A state runner-up last year and return a good group of players from that team.  What can high school fans expect out of West Monroe this spring?

People can expect us to play extremely hard and to be well coached.  We have a bunch of seniors who have waited their turn and are hungry for an opportunity.  We also have some elite young players who will be very valuable this year as well.  We finished one game short last year, and we aren't going to let that happen again!