Not-So-Freshman Feature: Junior C.J. Price Makes The D-III To D-I Jump

C.J. Price is on the Cornell baseball team as a result of his constant efforts to improve himself and accomplish his goals. He recently transferred from the University of Washington in St. Louis to follow his career goal of becoming a chemical engineer because his previous school did not offer this major. The transfer did not only help him get closer to his professional goals, but it also has fulfilled his athletic aspirations as he has risen from a Division III athlete to Division I. Price said, “the opportunity to play Division I baseball and receive an Ivy league education was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Price plays two positions and they couldn’t be more different: catcher and second base. His ability to play these completely opposite positions is a key indicator of his athletic capability and dedication to the sport of baseball. So far this season, he has found himself catching more and is eager to see what the upcoming season will bring, especially because it his first time playing at the Division I level. When asked about his goals for this season, he said, “It’s not healthy to focus too much on results. I want to stay in the moment and take one pitch at a time.”

Switching schools and teams as a junior may seem intimating, but Price says that his transition has been easy because of the team. According to Price, “they welcomed me with open arms.” He describes the team’s personality as “driven, easy to be around, and an environment where everyone holds each other accountable”. The junior transfer believes that his experience playing for The University of Washington in St. Louis gave him the confidence and player development that he needs to play at Division I. The biggest differences between the two levels he claims are that, “Division I is more time and more intense.” He also believes that the academic rigor of his previous school prepared him well for the intense academics of Cornell’s engineering program.

Price is originally from Naples Florida, where he was introduced to baseball before he attended kindergarten. Price says he “started swinging a bat when I was two” and he hasn’t been able to stop since. He finds his parents to be his biggest role models and motivators as they support his determination to pursue his dreams.

Price may be new to Cornell and new to this team, but he is not new to baseball. He has been preparing, pushing, and driving himself to reach the intense level of academics and athletics that he has accomplished. C.J. Price is a player to keep your eye on this upcoming Cornell baseball season because his past experiences show us that he is always improving.

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