Many children fall in love with baseball at a young age and dream of playing in the major leagues. For many of these athletes, their dreams fall short of becoming a reality, leading them to hang up the cleats before college.

However, this is not the case for senior Brendan Schaefer any time soon, who signed an agreement this afternoon to play college baseball for Maryville University for four years.

“This is what I’ve been aiming for my entire life,” said Schaefer. “I’ve worked really hard these past four years to get an opportunity, and to earn it this year is a blessing.”

Like many baseball players with high ambitions, Schaefer developed a passion for America’s pastime at a young age. He has prepared for higher levels of baseball by incorporating the sport into his life consistently.

“Since I was two years old, I would hit rocks in the backyard and play catch with my brother nearly every day,” Schaefer said. “It’s been a life goal to become a professional ballplayer ever since I first started playing in smaller leagues.”

Emphasizing hard work, Schaefer has been throwing three days for Legion every week, and has conditioned on the off days to stay in shape. He is dedicated to improving his game during the offseason and hopes to reach his ultimate goals of “getting drafted” and “playing professional baseball” beyond college.

“It’s a great accomplishment for Brendan,” said Pattonville Varsity baseball coach Mark Hahn. “It’s a good example of how hard work can pay off, and hopefully he continues his success at Maryville.”

Schaefer will play for the Pattonville Varsity Baseball team in the spring, and will begin pitching for the Maryville Saints during the 2014-15 school year.

http://pattonvilletoday.smugmug.com/Brendan-Schaefer-signs-college