For Davis Schneider, being drafted in the 28th round of the 2017 MLB Draft was the culmination of hard work that started when he was one years old. At age one he was throwing balls in his diaper and hitting ping pong balls with a pen or pencil. He loved baseball so much that he slept with his bat and glove.

As soon as Schneider was able to play real baseball, he was on the diamond. At age 6, he was playing on the 9U team, and at age 7 he was already playing travel baseball. Playing with older kids was the norm.

He routinely played with older kids, but that did not stop him from being the best player on the field. “His teams were always successful. He won countless tournament MVPs and always played at a high level,” said his mom, Mrs. Schneider.

Schneider was a rare starter on the varsity team as a freshman. “I knew when he was a freshman that he was going to be drafted. His passion, work ethic, and attention to detail help him tremendously as an undersized player,” said Coach Christ.

Schneider has great power. He has the ability to “crush the ball”. His great hands and instincts lead to excellent defense. Schneider made the move from third base to second base this offseason. Though for Schneider the transition has not been difficult. “Second base hasn’t been as big of a challenge as I thought it would be. Growing up I was a shortstop so transitioning to second base isn’t that big of a stretch,” said Schneider.

Schneider loves the game of baseball. “Davis is a self-motivated, hard working player. No one has to tell him what to do. He never had to be dragged to practice, because he looked forward to it,” said Mrs. Schneider.

That mind set has been vital to Schneider’s success. For an undersized player, who doesn’t do anything particularly well, but is good at most things, he has to work harder than everybody else. He works hard and does the little things well. He is successful because of his baseball IQ and strong mentality.

Players like Schneider have to show something special to catch the eyes of the coaches and organization. One way Schneider does this is by never taking a pitch off. “The biggest lesson that has stuck with me has to be don’t take a pitch off. Whether it’s at the plate or in the field, the best players don’t take plays off. To be successful, you have to be laser focused day in and day out. If I can do that, then I’m putting myself in a very good position to be a big leaguer one day,” said Schneider.

Coach Christ believes in his potential as well. “He is a legitimate prospect. If he continues to work hard, the sky’s the limit,” said Coach Christ.

Minor league baseball isn’t always rosy–especially in extended spring training. They wake up at 6:30, eat breakfast, stretch, and then practice and play games in the blistering hot Florida sun until 4:30, when they wrap it up for the day. What does Schneider do to wind down after a long day? “After work, the rest of the day is usually for sleeping and playing Fortnite,” said Schneider.

For Schneider, it is sometimes hard to not fanboy. “The coolest experience I’ve had is getting to meet the big leaguers,” said Schneider. “I have to remember that I am a co-worker of theirs.”

Schneider does benefit from seeing the big league players up close. “I like to talk to them and see them play up close.” He likes being around big leaguers because he likes to take things from them that make them successful for his own game.

Playing professional baseball is a dream come true, and right now he is living in the moment.

“It’s been awesome so far. The friendships I’ve made have been unbelievable.  I’ve had this dream since I was a little kid and to go out there each and every day to try and fulfil my dream of becoming a big leaguer, it’s truly a blessing.”