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Alba and his mother smile after his commitment. Alba attributes a lot of his success to his mom’s support.
Alba celebrates his commitment with his Shrine teammates after making the signing official.
ROYAL OAK — Shrine Catholic High School standout pitcher Nate Alba officially committed to play baseball at Ohio Northern University on Feb. 5 in front of family, friends, teammates and coaches.
The commitment comes before the start of this season, which will be Alba’s senior campaign. The interest that he’s received prior to his final year is a testament to the production he’s provided Shrine over the past three seasons.
“One of the best things about him is his consistency, especially on the mound,” Shrine coach Dan Noble said. “He’s somebody that our guys believe in. When he takes the mound, we expect to win.”
There are a handful of traits that will make Alba able to play baseball at the next level. Before that, he’s hoping to lead Shrine to another great season.
“He’s going to be one of the guys who is going to lead us out there,” Noble said. “He puts in a lot of extra work. He has good command for his pitches.”
The senior standout has been an impact player for Shrine since his freshman season. There’s one moment in particular that Alba sees as a turning point for his goals within baseball. In his first season, he pitched in a district semifinal game that catapulted Shrine to the district final.
“Even though I was just a freshman, I pitched the whole game, and we ended up winning. … This moment made me realize that I wanted to continue pitching at the next level,” Alba said. “Shrine baseball has helped me not only grow into the player, but the person I am today.”
The road to get to this point started when he was young and has now blossomed into an opportunity that most athletes don’t get.
“(Baseball) has brought me a lot of memories that will last me a lifetime,” Alba said. “The game of baseball has always been a part of my life ever since I played T-ball when I was 4 years old. … I want to thank my friends and family, especially my mom, for their continued support throughout my whole life.”
Alba continued to thank those who have helped get him to this point.
“I also want to thank the South Oakland A's organization for helping me grow the past eight years, and helping me become that player I am today,” Alba said. “Lastly, I want to thank Shrine baseball, which has been a blessing to play for.”
Shrine baseball’s opening day is scheduled for March 21 against Lutheran Northwest at Memorial Park in Royal Oak.
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