There’s a lot to like about James McCool – he’s a natural leader, a solid, contact hitter, a sound defensive third baseman and a versatile player.
The Xavier senior felt the same about Lafayette College.
“I loved the campus, liked that there was no graduate students there so it’s not too big of a student population and it’s only about a two-hour drive from my house so it’s not too far,” he said.
McCool drew interest from Division I programs Marist and Holy Cross as well as Division III schools Swarthmore and Dickinson, but he signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at Lafayette earlier this month.
“It was a great feeling, just a sense of everything I’ve worked for since I started playing baseball, all the ground balls, being in the batting cages, it all paid off in the end,” he said.
McCool said Lafayette coach Joe Kinney first saw him play at a tournament with his travel team, the Richmond County Baseball Club, in early July. At a Baseball Heaven showcase later that month, Kinney again saw McCool and invited him to attend a camp at Lafayette in September. He then went on an official visit in October.
“I got to watch the team practice and thinking about the opportunity that it’s going to give me as a baseball program and a school just sold me,” McCool said.
As a junior, McCool, who was named to the All-Manhattan first team by The Post last year, helped lead Xavier to the CHSAA Class A intersectional title game. Twice during the run, the Rockaway, Queens native was called upon as an emergency spot starter and he excelled both times. He also batted in the middle of the Knights lineup.
In his first spot start, McCool allowed one earned run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 2-1 win against Fordham Prep and then went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to sweep the rival Rams. He then went 2-for-2 with a run scored in a 2-0 win against St. Raymond’s in the semifinals.
“He’s a great kid, the leader of the team. He was captain last year as a junior and leads by example,” Xavier coach Rich Duffell said. “He just steps in and does his job no matter where I play him – third base, center field, left field, pitching. Look at what he did in the playoffs when he didn’t even know he was pitching, and he did it twice. He did a fabulous job.”
McCool said he’d likely be used as a third baseman, but could also play in the outfield if needed. His days on the mound, though, are probably a thing of the past. But, then again, if the Leopards need someone in a pinch?
“Hey, it worked before,” McCool said.