Future Jayhawks Q&A

KU Baseball NLI signee Justin Protacio

In November, Kansas head baseball coach Ritch Price announced his 2011-2012 signing class with the Jayhawks.

Throughout the season we will conducts Q&A’s with the future Jayhawks, who have signed the National Letter of Intent with KU during the November signing period.

Our fourth Q&A is with Justin Protacio from Honolulu, Hawaii. 

Protacio, a 5-foot-6, 155-pound infielder from Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii, hit .442 with 12 stolen bases last season. He has been named all-state at second base in each of the last two years as well as first team All-Interscholastic League. As a freshman, he helped his school to a state championship and a runner-up finish at the West Region finals.

• Following the recruiting process, why did you decide to sign with the Jayhawks?

KU was my best division one scholarship offer, so I took my visit up to Lawrence and loved every second of it.  After the visit and meeting the staff I knew it was the program for me and it would be a perfect fit for me.  Coach Price demonstrated a great recruiting process, and it really helped to have two other Hawaii boys on the team. 

• Did you make a visit to Lawrence, and what was your most memorable moment or place you remember from your trip?

Yes, I did make my visit to Lawrence in September.  Besides the crazy plane ride from Oahu, I enjoyed the football game and all the Jayhawk fans that were in attendance.

• What would you like to major in at Kansas?

Athletic Training/Kinesiology

• Who has been the greatest influence in your life?

My parents, they have built a solid foundation for me from day one.

• What is one thing Jayhawk fans would be surprised to know about you?

Me and Ka’iana (currently on the team) played for rival schools last spring.  Also, I am not a big fan of mash potatoes.

• What is your most memorable sports moment you have been involved in?

Going to the Junior League World Series in 2006 and receiving a baseball scholarship from KU.

• Favorite Major League Baseball team and player? Why?

           I don’t really have a favorite team.  I do have two favorite all time players: Rickey

           Henderson and Shane Victorino.  Rickey because of the way he dominated the game.   

           Shane because he is a local boy, undersized like me, and plays hard all the time.

• What do you bring personally to the Jayhawk program?

100% effort every time I step onto the field.  A winning attitude to prove others that my height will not stop me from being successful.

• Do you have any superstitions when playing the game?

          
I like to eat pasta, drink a lot of water, and do yoga before a game.

• Besides sports what are your hobbies?

Going to the beach and attending reggae concerts.

• What do you look to get out of your Jayhawk experience?

I want to mature as a person and as a baseball player.  Learn how to take care of myself because my family will be thousands of miles away.  Most importantly, I would like to get my degree and have a great baseball career.

• What teams are playing for this spring and summer?

This Spring I am playing for my high school team (Mid-Pacific Institute), and this summer I will be going to Japan for a month with the Hawaiian Island Movers Baseball Team to play Japanese college teams.

• If you were not playing baseball what would you be doing?

I would probably be trying to start up my own reggae band.

• If you had to be something other than a baseball player what would it be?

Athletic Trainer

• What is your favorite thing about Kansas Baseball?

          
Everything about the program, especially the competition and other tough teams

           within the conference.