If the Riverside Poly Bears hope to make a run at a CIF title in the coming weeks, they’ll need standout centerfielder Jake Marisnick to be on top of his game in the field and at the plate.
Jacob Marisnick, Riverside Poly
Photo by John Downey
All indications are that Marisnick, who has signed to play at Oregon next year, is starting to hit his stride. In a 7-1 victory over Corona Roosevelt last week, Marisnick came up huge, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored.
“I stared off a little slow this season and I have not performed as well I had hoped,” Marisnick said. “But my goal is to help my team win a CIF championship for the first time in school history. I think we can be a tough team to play in the playoffs and make a run at winning it. If our bats live up to their potential in the playoffs, we will be a tough team to beat.”
Marisnick may be a little hard in judging his own performance. One of top athletes in the state, Marisnick is ranked No. 11 on the MaxPreps Baseball Top 100 list. He’s batting .408 on the season with seven doubles, four home runs and 23 RBI. He’s also been a threat on the basepaths, swiping 21 bags this year.
As a junior, Marisnick batted .495 with five home runs, nine doubles and had 17 stolen bases. He also proved to be the top hitter at the Area Code Games in Long Beach in August, rapping out more hits than any player in the weeklong event.
“It was fun playing with some of the best players in the country and seeing how I compare against them,” he said. “Not just for one day, like most showcases, but for a whole week.”
An outstanding two-sport athlete, Marisnick was all-county and All-CIF Southern Section as a wide receiver in football as a junior. However he made the difficult decision to sit out football season this year in order to focus his energy on baseball.
Jacob Marisnick, Riverside Poly
Photo by John Downey
That decision could pay off in June during the Major League Draft. Marisnick is expected to be one of the first outfielders chosen and he has been projected to go in the first round by several mock drafts.
“It would be awesome to start my professional career straight out of high school,” he said.
Marisnick already knows a little bit of how it feels to play on a big league field.
“I played in the Under Armour All-American Game this summer in Chicago,” he said. “It was amazing being able to play at Wrigley. All the history of the park gave me goose bumps thinking about where I was.”
Marisnick knows that his combination of speed and power make him a valuable commodity.
“Being versatile is my biggest strength,” he said. “If I’m not hitting balls hard, I can beat out infield singles. If I’m struggling at the plate, I am able to make plays for my team in centerfield.”
While Marisnick and the Bears are competing for a section title, he notes that often times he has friends in the opposing dugout. However he adds that is all part of what makes his hometown special.
“The rivalries and the friends between schools are great. Some of my good friends go to other schools in the area and every year we line up across from each other and want to win the game,” he said. “But afterwards we hang out and recap all the things that happened.”
Baseball has been a family affair for Marisnick, whether it was learning the game from his dad or staring down a fastball from his older brother.
“I remember my first at-bat in Little League off my older brother,” Marisnick said. “It was a 1-1 game and he came in to pitch. We had a runner on second and my coach gave me a bunt. I beat it out and the runner scored to win the game. Me and him still argue what would have happened if he pitched to me.”
“My dad has helped me since I was in tee ball. He is still the one that is developing me into the player I am today. He has taught me to play the game hard and not worry about the results. If you try your best, results will come.”
