Jacob Balsley Season 2021

PRIOR TO COLLEGE: Was the starting shortstop all four years under head coach John Rice at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee … Hit .313 with 10 home runs during his prep career … Received Class 4AAA all-district honorable mention … Ranked 11th among shortstops in Tennessee for the 2020 high school graduating class and 54th overall in the state by Perfect Game … Was also listed as a top 500 national recruit by the website … Merited preseason All-America honorable mention for the Southeast region in 2020 by Perfect Game … Helped his club team eXposure 17U Prime capture the 2019 PG Summer Shootout in Cumming, Georgia, where he earned a spot on the all-tournament team … Also merited the same distinction that year at the PG 18U Peach State Championships and PG 18U Battle of the South, as well as the PG Super25 16U Fall North Carolina Super Qualifier in 2017 with his RBI Prime squad … Chose the Aztecs over the likes of San Diego, Tennessee, New Mexico, East Tennessee State and California.
 
PERSONAL: Born in Knoxville, Tennessee … Son of Darren and Carrie Balsley … His father played professional baseball for five seasons and served as pitching coach for the San Diego Padres from 2003-2019 … Hobbies include fishing and crafting … Lists Fernando Tatis Jr. as his favorite athlete … Plans to major in business at SDSU.