By Playing Baseball at MSU, Brother Rice Standout Goes With His 'True Passion'

This past summer, Brother Rice star athlete Jimmy Pickens had a tough decision to make. The Warriors’ standout football and baseball player had to choose which sport to play in college. In the end, the diamond was calling the loudest, and Pickens decided to play baseball at Michigan State University.

“I love both sports so much, so it was a very tough call,” he said of his recent signing of a National Letter of Intent with the Spartans. “But baseball is my true passion. I’ve been playing it since I was 4 years old. It’s been my dream to become a professional athlete, and playing in the Big Ten at MSU is my next step in achieving that dream.”

Pickens verbally committed to Michigan State early last fall, selecting the Spartans over offers from Michigan and Tennessee. He is a four-year starter in both sports at Brother Rice and had numerous offers to continue his football career in college as well. In baseball, Pickens is a catcher and outfielder; on the gridiron, he played strong safety and running back.

Bob Riker, Pickens’ baseball coach, believes the senior's decision to extend his career on the diamond was the right choice.

“I think he realizes he has a better chance to sign with the pros if he sticks with baseball,” Riker said. “There’s just such a huge upside with him, he’s only going to get better.”

Riker sees Pickens' talent as a rare blend.

“There are not many ballplayers that are big, strong, powerful and fast, and he has all four of those attributes by the bucketful,” the coach said. “I’ve never seen him let down. He gets after it with everything inside him, every time he hits the field. He’s going 110 percent from the first pitch of the game to the last, no matter what.”

As a freshman, Pickens helped lead the Warriors to a Division 1 state baseball championship. During his sophomore campaign, he sparked a run to the quarterfinals. Last spring, Pickens and Brother Rice ended their season in the regional title game.

While playing football for legendary Warrior coach Al Fracassa, Pickens took Brother Rice to four consecutive appearances in the playoffs and to the Division 2 final four as a junior in the fall of 2009.

Riker sees his aptitude for football as translating to his play in baseball.

“Jimmy plays baseball with a football player’s mentality,” he said. “He’s just a game-changer with his intensity, leadership and competitive desire to win at all costs.”

Coming off a season where the Warriors went 24-12, Pickens is one of four returning starters off the 2010 squad, and he intends to make his senior year count as much as possible.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’m going to be pushing myself and my teammates every second of the way.”