By Brandon Johnson (WSU Athletic Communications)
You've been playing the sport since you were eight years old. Put in thousands of hours of work to perfect your craft. You put up monster numbers during your high school career and expect that shortly after a Division-I school will soon be calling your name.
It's not that simple, Jonah Advincula can attest to that first hand.
Advincula, a California native, has been through his share of ups and downs. A great high school career led to Zero interest from D1 schools. A terrific freshman season at DIII Redlands Universify, where he hit .355 with an OPS of 1.006, had him thinking the time was now. Again, he was let down. A sophomore season saw a bit of regression, where he still hit a respectable .300 with an OPS of .843, but his numbers were down all across the board. After another season of receiving no division-one interest, Advincula really started to question, "How much longer do I have left to play this sport?"
He put that question aside, spending that summer putting hours of work in the weight room and on the field, hoping once again that he will finally receive that call. His off-season training resulted in a MONSTER junior year in 2022. A year in which he hit .430 with an OPS of 1.196, he also tied for third in franchise history for number of hits in a season with 65.
After a year in which he produced his best statistical season across the board, combined with his success in the West Coast Summer League, he finally got the call. WSU had offered him a scholarship and a chance to play D1 ball.
We sat down with Jonah to talk about his journey up until this point, the doubters, and much
more. Here is what Jonah had to say….
Talk to me about your first year at WSU. How has it been getting adjusted to your new teammates, new coaches, etc?
It's been a good transition so far, no complaints. You never know with being a transfer, how you're going to mesh with 25 new players plus coaching staff. It hasn't been an issue though, there's a mutual respect between the coaches and players, the locker room has a great vibe, and that's led to a great playing environment.
What age did you first get into baseball? When did you know you wanted to seriously pursue the sport?
I started playing around the age of eight, and then after playing little league for a few years, it became something I knew I wanted to pursue at the collegiate, and hopefully, professional level.
You've spent the last three years at Redlands. After posting very solid numbers during your high school career, what was the recruitment process like, and how did it lead to you
being at Redlands for the past three years?
Honestly, my mindset was always Division I or juco. When my senior year came around though, my name wasn't on the map much and didn't really have any D1 interest, which was a bummer. That summer was when a Redlands coach saw me play, got in contact with me after a game, and ended up offering me a scholarship to attend the university.
The numbers you put up the past three years at Redlands have been nothing short of sensational. How did it feel, especially after your first two years, knowing you could play at
the highest level but yet was consistently being overlooked?
It was very tough, not going to lie. I most definitely had a chip on my shoulder. With that being said, I try to approach every game with the same mindset, no matter where I'm playing. Doing that for the past three years, the work I put in finally started to show, then when summer ball came I was asked to participate with a number of D1 athletes.
So talk to me about summer ball. What was that process like and how'd it feel finally getting a chance to show your worth against other division-1 talent.
It felt great. I originally got a call from the Corvallis Knights, telling me they wanted me in on a 10 day contact to see what I can do. I had no clue whether I was going to be out there for just 10 days or possibly longer, so I had to make the most of the opportunity. Playing well, combined with the team needing an extra center fielder, led to me remaining on the team for the duration of the summer. I played very well, ended up being 8th in the league in hitting (.344) while also being named an All-WCL Honorable Mention. Our squad ended up winning the championship as well, so it felt good to see the work finally starting to pay off.
Love to hear it. Speaking of where you're currently enrolled at, WSU, what was that process like and when did you first hear from the school?
So midway through the summer I entered the transfer portal. WSU was one of the first schools I heard from after that. I ended up having a conversation with Coach Valentine, who first saw me play in summer ball with Corvallis, and set up a visit for me to come tour the school. I heard from a few other schools, but once I took the visit I knew WSU was the place for me.
Talk to me about the differences you've experienced from being at a Division III school, now coming over to a major conference in the Pac-12. What have you noticed so far?
The amount of preparation for the spring season is definitely the most notable difference. There was no fall ball at Redlands, and we could only see each other for two weeks before the season started in the spring, so there weren't many practices before the season started. Coming here has been a pleasant surprise. There is a whole preseason which starts in the fall, allowing for us to get into the groove. The facilities here are second-to-none, making the transition that much easier.
Who are some players that you try to emulate your game towards?
Two names that immediately come to mind are Steven Kwan (Cleveland Guardians) and Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks). I see a lot of myself in their games. Outfielders with a lot of speed and the ability to hit for contact to all different parts of the field. Robinson Cano, known for having one of the prettiest swings of all time, is also another big influence for me.
Thanks for taking some time to talk with us and good luck this season.
Thank you, Go Cougs!
You've been playing the sport since you were eight years old. Put in thousands of hours of work to perfect your craft. You put up monster numbers during your high school career and expect that shortly after a Division-I school will soon be calling your name.
It's not that simple, Jonah Advincula can attest to that first hand.
Advincula, a California native, has been through his share of ups and downs. A great high school career led to Zero interest from D1 schools. A terrific freshman season at DIII Redlands Universify, where he hit .355 with an OPS of 1.006, had him thinking the time was now. Again, he was let down. A sophomore season saw a bit of regression, where he still hit a respectable .300 with an OPS of .843, but his numbers were down all across the board. After another season of receiving no division-one interest, Advincula really started to question, "How much longer do I have left to play this sport?"
He put that question aside, spending that summer putting hours of work in the weight room and on the field, hoping once again that he will finally receive that call. His off-season training resulted in a MONSTER junior year in 2022. A year in which he hit .430 with an OPS of 1.196, he also tied for third in franchise history for number of hits in a season with 65.
After a year in which he produced his best statistical season across the board, combined with his success in the West Coast Summer League, he finally got the call. WSU had offered him a scholarship and a chance to play D1 ball.
We sat down with Jonah to talk about his journey up until this point, the doubters, and much
more. Here is what Jonah had to say….
Talk to me about your first year at WSU. How has it been getting adjusted to your new teammates, new coaches, etc?
It's been a good transition so far, no complaints. You never know with being a transfer, how you're going to mesh with 25 new players plus coaching staff. It hasn't been an issue though, there's a mutual respect between the coaches and players, the locker room has a great vibe, and that's led to a great playing environment.
What age did you first get into baseball? When did you know you wanted to seriously pursue the sport?
I started playing around the age of eight, and then after playing little league for a few years, it became something I knew I wanted to pursue at the collegiate, and hopefully, professional level.
You've spent the last three years at Redlands. After posting very solid numbers during your high school career, what was the recruitment process like, and how did it lead to you
being at Redlands for the past three years?
Honestly, my mindset was always Division I or juco. When my senior year came around though, my name wasn't on the map much and didn't really have any D1 interest, which was a bummer. That summer was when a Redlands coach saw me play, got in contact with me after a game, and ended up offering me a scholarship to attend the university.
The numbers you put up the past three years at Redlands have been nothing short of sensational. How did it feel, especially after your first two years, knowing you could play at
the highest level but yet was consistently being overlooked?
It was very tough, not going to lie. I most definitely had a chip on my shoulder. With that being said, I try to approach every game with the same mindset, no matter where I'm playing. Doing that for the past three years, the work I put in finally started to show, then when summer ball came I was asked to participate with a number of D1 athletes.
So talk to me about summer ball. What was that process like and how'd it feel finally getting a chance to show your worth against other division-1 talent.
It felt great. I originally got a call from the Corvallis Knights, telling me they wanted me in on a 10 day contact to see what I can do. I had no clue whether I was going to be out there for just 10 days or possibly longer, so I had to make the most of the opportunity. Playing well, combined with the team needing an extra center fielder, led to me remaining on the team for the duration of the summer. I played very well, ended up being 8th in the league in hitting (.344) while also being named an All-WCL Honorable Mention. Our squad ended up winning the championship as well, so it felt good to see the work finally starting to pay off.
Love to hear it. Speaking of where you're currently enrolled at, WSU, what was that process like and when did you first hear from the school?
So midway through the summer I entered the transfer portal. WSU was one of the first schools I heard from after that. I ended up having a conversation with Coach Valentine, who first saw me play in summer ball with Corvallis, and set up a visit for me to come tour the school. I heard from a few other schools, but once I took the visit I knew WSU was the place for me.
Talk to me about the differences you've experienced from being at a Division III school, now coming over to a major conference in the Pac-12. What have you noticed so far?
The amount of preparation for the spring season is definitely the most notable difference. There was no fall ball at Redlands, and we could only see each other for two weeks before the season started in the spring, so there weren't many practices before the season started. Coming here has been a pleasant surprise. There is a whole preseason which starts in the fall, allowing for us to get into the groove. The facilities here are second-to-none, making the transition that much easier.
Who are some players that you try to emulate your game towards?
Two names that immediately come to mind are Steven Kwan (Cleveland Guardians) and Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks). I see a lot of myself in their games. Outfielders with a lot of speed and the ability to hit for contact to all different parts of the field. Robinson Cano, known for having one of the prettiest swings of all time, is also another big influence for me.
Thanks for taking some time to talk with us and good luck this season.
Thank you, Go Cougs!