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Get To Know: 2017 SS/RHP Jimmy Joyce (Wantagh HS)

January 25, 2017



As we continue to shape-the-state here in New York, several different unique features will be available on our website. Player Spotlights, Progress Reports, Commitment Blogs, Scouting Blogs, Rankings and Top-Performer Lists, and so much more. Without the players we have nothing, so let’s take this a bit more personal - Get To Know: Our new article feature that hones in on what our Empire State players are up to, what makes them tick, and some real-candid inside access..

Name: Jimmy Joyce
High School: Wantagh
Grad Year: 2017
Position: SS/RHP
State Rank: No. 19
Commitment: Hofstra

PBR: Lets start with your baseball commitment to Hofstra University. Tell us about the process and how you decided on the Pride? How excited are you to play in the CAA?

Joyce: My summer season before my sophomore year in High School I started playing for the Long Island Storm. Hofstra was one of the later schools to start showing interests in me. They took me on a visit of the campus and really impressed me. As a kid I grew up 15 minutes away from Hofstra telling myself I never really wanted to go there. I now realize I only said that because I had only been driving past the school and never got a chance to explore the university. On my visit I was astonished by what Hofstra really had to offer. It felt like I wasn't even at Hofstra but yet a small community like Wantagh, the town I have grown up in. When it came to making a decision on a school there were many factors. The deciding factor for me were the coaches of the school. I felt as I had really connected with coach Russo and could see a future playing for him. As for conference, The Colonial Athletic Association is one of the toughest conferences around which excites me. For me, I felt as if I needed a competitive league to push myself towards a goal I have been working towards. 

PBR: Baseball has an unbelievable way of positively shaping young man on and off the field. Tell us one life-lesson you have picked up over the years playing the game, and how that life-lesson may impact you later in life?

Joyce: Baseball has taught me numerous life lessons and skills that I have and will carry with me for the rest of my life. On the field it is vital that I do not carry a negative mindset or vibe around. I constantly remind myself to show no negative emotion and keep my head up. Doing this makes me hold a positive attitude not only on the field, but it has translated to off the field. It is very rare you catch me frustrated or not smiling. On the diamond is where i feel at home, and baseball is just a game that brings a smile to my face. I have learned to stay positive throughout everything from baseball and I have taken this skill with me and continue to bring positive behavior to wherever I may be in life. 

PBR: If you were a baseball scout and watched yourself play, what would that scouting report look like?

Joyce: I am a 6-foot-2, 205-pound righty who is still growing. I take pride in that I can play anywhere on the field. My primary position is Shortstop but I pitched many games during the school season. I throw from the 3/4 arm position but do have a select few pitches from the side arm angle. My knuckle drop is my strikeout pitch and my fastball (87-90) and curveball are my setup pitches. I can steal bases and have a 7.0 60 yard dash. On the mound I have been told I am a different person and my competitiveness is not taken lightly. 

PBR: This one is for our strictly baseball- minded readers. Tell us about your strengths and weaknesses on the field. 

Joyce: My strength on the field is the combination of my mental mindset and my athleticism. As a prestigious athlete I know there is no goal out of reach for me. With that being said, I am extremely competitive not only on the diamond but in any activities I partake in. My athleticism allows me to pick up on new factors of the game very quickly. I realize with baseball that the learning never ends therefore I make sure to listen closely to tips and put them to use in practice and in the game. For weaknesses, my least favorite pitch to throw is my changeup. I can see it has developed over the past year but I do have command issues with it. Whether it be leaving it over the plate, or having it sail out of my hands there is definitely more work that will go into using this pitch, especially as college arrives. 

PBR: You can only pick one, but who is your biggest baseball influence and why? 

Joyce: My biggest baseball influence has to be my dad. For as long as I can remember we were having baseball catches on the front lawn and then going to hit in the batting cage in the backyard to crush some baseballs. He taught me the basics and practiced with me whenever I wanted. My dad coached me all the way up to High school. It always felt like he was hardest on me and not my teammates when it came to baseball but now i do realize that that was because he wanted me to be successful. I think thats what shaped me into the man/ baseball player I am today. Baseball was always our priority as a duo and I want to thank him for that. I would want it no other way. 

PBR: We are knee-deep into the off-season schedule. Tell us about your training, and spring preparation.

Joyce: With football season cutting into basketball season there was not much of an off period for me this year. During football I like to build more of a bulky muscle type with workouts such as bench, dead-lifting, and squats. Right after football I start training for baseball during the basketball season. I like to think the key to baseball is consistency. I think it is very important to taking batting practice everyday and include some type of weight training everyday. On the weekends I attend two different workouts for summer organizations and constantly hit the cages with my teammates. 

PBR: Anyone that plays the game with true passion hopes to leave their own legacy. Tell us how you want to be remembered for playing the game?

Joyce: I would like to be remembered as an athlete who has brought great pride to both of the schools that I am and will be attending. I enjoy this game like no other, I play the game with a smile and I always hustle...to be remembered like that is all I ask for.


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