Arencibia races to Aflac All-American game

Jim Ecker

Michael Arencibia is very smart, very fast and an Aflac All-American. No wonder he's in demand from some of the top colleges in the country.

His phone began ringing on July 1, the first day college coaches could call the Class of 2010.

"I talked to LSU, Miami, FSU (Florida State), a school from Nevada. Stuff like that," he said. "I just want to get somewhere were I can get a good scholarship and actually get to play."

Pro baseball might beckon as well next summer, but he'll worry about that when the time comes.

Arencibia is a 6-foot-1, 165-pound center fielder from Key West, Fla. He used to play the infield, but got shifted to the outfield as a freshman in high school. "I made a couple of good plays and they decided to keep me out there," he said. "They liked me in center field."

It's easy to see why. Arencibia has a strong, accurate arm, which is necessary for any good center fielder. And he's also been clocked at 6.31 seconds in the 60-yard dash, which is exceptional. He said it happened at the Sunshine East Showcase in Florida.

"I was pretty surprised, actually," he said. "I guess a little bit of adrenaline kicked in. I never knew I could run that fast."

He's fast, and he's smart. He carries a 4.2 GPA on a weighted 5.0 scale, which he said translates to a 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 scale. "I'm not doing too bad," he said. "A's and B's."

He said he batted in the "high .400s" as a junior in high school this past year, with eight homers and more than 20 stolen bases. No wonder he's in demand.

Arencibia will get a chance to perform on a national stage when he plays in the Aflac All-American High School Classic at PETCO Park in San Diego on Aug. 16. He can't wait to get there.

"It's an inspiration," he said.

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