Swamp Bats profiles: Jarred Mederos

Jarred Mederos singled with the bases loaded in the ninth to score North Adams shortstop J.C. Cardenas to give the NECBL North All Stars a 4-3 win in Holyoke Sunday. For his timely hit, Mederos was bestowed Most Valuable Player.

Jarred Mederos

Mederos is in his first season with the Swamp Bats where he’s stepped in to play shortstop. That’s juggled the infield a bit with Taylor Perez sometimes playing second, and Bret Dennis or Patrick McGrath at 3^rd base. Mederos is comfortable with whatever the configuration of the Swamp Bats middle defense. “They are great players, I feel like we play well together,” he says.

After high school, Mederos, from Hialeah, Florida, attended the University of Miami. But Miami just wasn’t the right fit for him “I committed at the end of my sophomore year,” of high school. “I just put too much stress on myself. “

One can imagine the stories: Local Boy commits. Local boy makes debut. Maybe even Local boy goes hitless. The scrutiny of well-wishers and local media coverage, real and imagined can take its toll. “I put a lot of pressure on myself.”

After a stint at Santa Fe College, Mederos wound up at St. John’s in New York. A sports administration major with a minor in accounting, Mederos did have to make an adjustment “It’s the first time I’d seen snow,” he relates.

A year ago, he took the summer off to recharge his batteries. Now, he’s up in Keene with St. John’s teammates Matt Clancy, Bret Dennis and, Zach Lauricella.  But he is quick to say his ease of coming to Keene is due to his host family, Nicole Johnson and Andy Newell. 

Brooke and Jarred and Allie.
Photo from Nicole Johnson.

“My host family are great, great people. They treat me like I’m their own.” Talk about finding a home. When not on the field or working out at the gym, Jarred spends his time with his hosts and their daughters Brooke and Allie. “I like hanging out with my host family. They have a backyard pool and today, we went horseback riding,” he said before Saturday’s game.

The Swamp Bats return Tuesday against the Valley Blue Sox. Time grows short as the season winds down. “We need to play our game. We have to go out there and follow through, with looseness AND intensity,” he declares.