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Most high school students stay up late, wake up even later and inhale gobs and gobs of junk food during summer vacation.
Not Terrebonne High School standout slugger Justin Williams.
For him, the summer is all about development – one last chance to polish his craft before his senior season.
One of the top-ranked high school players in America, Williams has traveled all over the country this summer with his club team Marucci Elite.
With his vast array of speed, power and fielding, several recruiting services have taken note of Williams’ skill set and many rank him to be a first-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft.
Williams discussed those accolades among many other topics in an exclusive interview with SportsNet Editor Casey Gisclair.
SPORTSNET: I know we talked before the summer started about how you would be playing all across the country this summer for your elite club team. Tell us about where you have played and what you have done so far since school has been out.
JUSTIN WILLIAMS: It’s been really busy, man. I just got back from North Carolina where I played in the Tournament of Stars for USA Baseball. Before that, I went to Minnesota for the Perfect Game National Showcase in the Metrodome. I have a couple of other games and showcases to play in later this summer, but so far, those two were the two biggest ones for me.
SN: How did those first two games go? How did you play?
JW: Yeah, so far, everything’s been great. I think I did just OK at the one in Minnesota – I thought I could have done a little bit better out there. But the one in North Carolina, I think that was my best showcase yet. I thought I played really well and I was proud of how everything went.
SN: How was it playing in the Metrodome? Do you get jitters playing in big-time ballparks like that?
JW: Oh yeah. I definitely get wide-eyed playing out there. In the Metrodome, you feel like you’ve already made it to the league because here you are in this beautiful indoor dome and it’s just really, really nice. It’s not a feeling I’ll forget – that’s for sure.
SN: I saw a video of you on YouTube taking batting practice in the Metrodome and you hit a couple of balls into the upper deck. That had to be just unreal for you, right?
JW: That felt good. I can’t lie. That felt really, really good. At the big-league parks, it’s so different because you can’t tell how good you hit the ball. In high school, when you hit one, it almost always goes over the fence – most of the time by a lot. But here in those big parks, sometimes when you think you hit it good, you actually didn’t. And other times, you didn’t think you hit it so good and it just keeps going, you know? It’s definitely not the same feel as playing in the local high school parks, that’s for sure.
SN: So looking to the future a little bit – now that you have North Carolina and Minnesota in the rear view mirror, what are your plans the rest of the summer?
JW: Yeah, I have a few other things planned. I’m going with my travel team, Marucci Elite, to East Cobb in Marietta, Ga. While there, we’re going to play in the World Wood Bat. Hopefully, we’ll go out there and win that event. From there, we’re going to go down to Jupiter (Florida) for another big-time tournament. After that, I think we come back to Louisiana for a little while. Then we fly out to Arizona for another tournament right after we’d get home. This tournament in Arizona will be weird because you can only play in the morning or late at night – any other time in the day it’s like 115 degrees, so you can’t play.
SN: That surely is a very busy schedule. So, when you’re not with the travel team and you’re just working out on your own, what are some things you’re trying to get better at?
JW: My fielding. Definitely my fielding. My hitting is OK. Right now, that’s plenty good enough. I just need to work on fielding the ball a little more.
SN: OK, it’s interesting that you said fielding because I know you play a lot of positions for Terrebonne. What position are you working on the most?
JW: I’ve been working a lot at right field. I’ve been doing a lot, a lot, a lot of right field. I’ve been there way more than anywhere else this summer.
SN: Is that the position you expect to play next year at Terrebonne?
JW: Yeah – I hope so. That’s the position that they project me to play at the higher level of baseball, so I need to know the ins and outs of right field so that I can be ready for whatever the future holds.
SN: OK, so you talk about the future – I know you have to have seen that you’re ranked as the No. 3 player in the country among all high school players. Talk about that for a second. How does that make you feel when you see your name on that list?
JW: I guess I’m a little bit used to it by now because before they had me at No. 4, but somehow, they moved me up to No. 3. But yeah, it’s amazing. It’s such a blessing. I can’t really say anything about it because I have to stay humble, but I appreciate them believing in me and believing that I’m the third best player in the country.
SN: With that high ranking comes the inevitable questions about the MLB. What will determine whether or not you go pro or attend LSU?
JW: I really want to go to LSU. That’s just a great place to play baseball. When the draft comes, I’ll talk about everything with my family if I get picked. But I committed to LSU because I really like the school a lot and because I really wanted to play there. It’s a true baseball school. I want to be a college student.
SN: Regardless of what happens between now and decision day, you still will receive so much mainstream attention from baseball minds from all across America. When you were a small child playing for TPR, did you ever think this would be your life?
JW: No way, man. Never.
SN: Really?
JW: Not in a million years. I may have visualized myself playing at like a pro ballpark or something as a kid, but I never envisioned or planned to be the No. 3 player in the country, you know? It’s surreal. It’s an amazing feeling.
Terrebonne High School standout Justin Williams eyes a pitch during a game this season. Williams is the No. 3-ranked prep baseball player in the country.
