Danny Oh had plenty of options.
The Jackson High School senior is the state’s top-ranked high school baseball player according to Baseball Northwest. Oh, a left-handed center fielder, has good speed, excellent arm strength and an unusually smooth swing — skills that already have professional scouts interested and have had college coaches on his trail for several years.
But only one college suitor met Oh’s requirements: the University of California, Berkeley. Oh, who also considered other Pacific-10 Conference programs like Arizona and Oregon State, verbally committed to California Aug. 10 after the final game in the Mariners Cup showcase tournament at Safeco Field.
Oh, who expects to receive a full-ride baseball scholarship from Cal, essentially could have gone anywhere. So why play for the Golden Bears?
Get this: the highly sought outfielder said he was impressed not necessarily by Cal’s baseball reputation but more with its academic excellence. Cal is the top-rated public university in America according to U.S. News &World Report’s 2008 rankings.
“My parents are really happy about that,” Oh said of his educationally motivated choice. Oh, a 2007 Class 4A all-state first team honoree, said he hasn’t decided what he wants to study but that he’s sure to find something worthwhile.
After committing, Oh canceled official recruiting visits to Pepperdine, Arizona and Oregon State. The Cal coaching staff was thrilled to get Oh’s commitment, Oh said: “They were really happy because they said I was the guy they wanted to get, their No. 1 guy.”
Jackson High baseball coach Kirk Nicholson said Oh is a fine student, a great person and athletically “is right up there” with former Timberwolves standouts like Brent Lillibridge and Travis Snider. Oh “has a very good swing but defensively he’s also outstanding and has a good arm,” said Nicholson.
Oh can submit a binding NCAA National Letter of Intent starting Nov. 14 during the early signing period.
In his sophomore season Oh helped Jackson win the 4A state championship and compile a perfect 27-0 record. That 2006 squad is widely considered one of the best baseball teams in state history.
Following a disappointing ending to Jackson’s otherwise impressive 18-3 2007 season, this spring Oh will be expected to lead a young but talented group.
It’s possible a Major League Baseball team will select Oh in the 2008 draft, but Oh said it will take “first-round money” to convince him to give up his Cal scholarship and turn pro. This year’s first-round picks received an average signing bonus of $2,098,083, according to Baseball America.
Contact Herald Writer Mike Cane at mcane@heraldnet.com. For more high school sports news, check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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