Rancocas Valley's JoJo Alvarez has a small frame, but a big swing
The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder is a slick shortstop with a powerful cut.
In the majors, the hot trend at shortstop is toward tall, rangy athletes in the Cal Ripken Jr. style who hit for power as much as corner outfielders.
JoJo Alvarez doesn't look the part.
He swings it, though.
"We were in Florida, playing the Braves' (minor-league) park and he hit a couple off the outfield wall," Rancocas Valley coach Dave Hower said. "The home plate ump was like, 'Where does he get that kind of pop?'"
At 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Alvarez looks like an old-school shortstop: A slick, quick fielder who covers a lot of ground on defense and excels on the basepaths on offense.
But the first month of the soft-spoken senior's season has been marked by his impressive display of production and power at the plate.
Through Wednesday, Alvarez was leading Rancocas Valley in nearly every offensive category: Hits (16), RBIs (16), runs (17), doubles (6) and extra-base hits (9).
He's also tops in batting average (.533), walks (10), and stolen bases (11).
Against Pennsauken on Monday, Alvarez was 3-for-4 with three RBIs. He drove in the Red Devils' first run with a triple to right-center field - into a stiff wind.
"He hits the heck out of the ball," Pennsuaken coach Cetsh Byrd said.
Alvarez said his improved power comes from an off-season of weight training, with a focus on improving his lower-body strength.
"That's something I really worked on," Alvarez said. "I feel the difference. I feel a lot stronger. I'm sitting back on the ball rather than being too anxious."
Alvarez is a classic-style shortstop in the field, light on his feet in ranging from the deep hole to shallow right-center. He snuffed out a Pennsauken rally by bare-handing a slow roller and firing to first for the out.
"He plays the position so smooth and effortlessly," Byrd said.
Burlington Township coach Jason Stec rates Alvarez as one of South Jersey's top shortstops.
"Slick fielding, great hands/feet, above-average arm," Stec said. "In our game this year, he killed us at the plate with a double and home run and made five-or-six plays look easy."
Alvarez, who lives in Hainesport, said he's always been a shortstop, starting from his days in youth baseball in Eastampton.
"I love it," Alvarez said of playing shortstop. "I can take control of the field."
Hower said Alvarez is a team leader because of his quiet dedication and intuitive feel for the game.
"You should see this kid run the bases," Hower said. "He's so smart and he plays so hard, plays the game the right way."
Alvarez doesn't say much on the field. But he's still a player around whom the Red Devils rally.
"I feel proud because people think I'm a leader on the field," Alvarez said. "I'm kind of a silent leader."
Alvarez has committed to play for Barry University, an NCAA Division II program in Miami Shores, Fla. Barry head coach Juan Ranero was Rowan University's head coach for 14 seasons, through 2014.
Alvarez teams with senior first baseman Tyler Dearden, a Penn State recruit, and senior second baseman Colin Pollard, to form the heart of the Rancocas Valley lineup.
Alvarez believes the Red Devils, who are 8-2 and No. 16 in the Inquirer's top 25, can make a deep tournament run this season.
"I feel like we're capable of going all the way to states and possibly winning that," Alvarez said. "We just have to have that right mindset."
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