Lake Forest Baseball Player Makes Early College Choice

Lake Forest High School baseball player Brad Czerniejewski, like many high school athletes, recently made a decision on where he will be playing in college. He wanted a school that offered good academics and a legitimate shot to win the College World Series. That’s why he chose Texas Christian University.

But unlike most of the other athletes making their signings public, Czerniejewski’s commitment comes a bit early, as a sophomore.

“When you know, you know,” said Czerniejewski, a center fielder who played on the LFHS sophomore team as a freshman last season. “I couldn’t be happier with my decision. TCU treated me like a king, it was a special visit and I felt like I was needed there.”

“Everytime I called coach (TCU Recruiting Director Kirk) Saarloos, I felt at home,” the LFHS sophomore added. “The entire coaching staff there is second to none.”

LFHS head baseball coach Ray DelFava says it’s not often a college decision comes with three high school seasons to play, but expressed excitement that Czerniejewski will eventually be headed to “a quality baseball school in a quality conference.”

“It should take some pressure off him - now that he’s made his decision early, he gets to enjoy the game the next three years,” DelFava said.

Czerniejewski’s greatest strength is his power hitting and “physically ridiculous bat speed and tremendously quick feet,” according to John Snelton, his summer coach for the last four seasons with the Lakeside Legends, a showcase tournament team that competes in tournaments with high college exposure across the country.

It was with the Legends where Czerniejewski has seen his greatest success, hitting over .400 last year and belting 60 home runs over the last four years with the squad.

“He’s also got an unwavering work ethic - he works harder than anyone else,” Snelton added. “His potential is higher than anyone I have ever coached. I’m very happy that he will be going to an awesome baseball college.”

He’ll still compete with the Legends over the next couple summers, but the next challenge is for him to show what he can do at the high school varsity level. The early decision isn’t going to change Czerniejewski’s work ethic.

“I’m still striving for the next level (in high school),” he said. “I expect big things from us this season, with a few other Division I commits on the team. If we could win conference, make a run for the state championship and me be an All-American, I think that would be the coolest thing in the world.”

DelFava says he is coming into a great situation this year.

“He’s not going to have to carry the team because we have so many guys coming back, we just need to find the right spot for him,” the coach said, adding that bat speed and power is the sophomore’s greatest asset.

“It’s sounds different when he’s hitting,” DelFava said.

Selecting a baseball power school like TCU can only be good for other prep athletes in the area as well.

“It lets colleges know that it can happen,” DelFava said, “that it is worth making the trip up here to places where the baseball weather isn’t the best to see great talent.”

But for Czerniejewski, even though he has laid his tracks for an extended bright future, it’s all about the next step.

“I’m looking forward to this next season with my teammates and seeing how well we can do,” he said.

Photos, 1-3: Czerniejewski with Libertyville’s Evan Skoug, rounding third base after a home run and a headshot from PBA.

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