Since everyone has a little bit more time on their hands these days, we wanted to check in with our guys and see what they are up to. Welcome to "Questions From Quarantine", where we chat with our youth and high school players to get a pulse on what their generation is doing during this new reality.
Meet Brian Rapanan, a junior catcher, RHP, and MIF. Brian began playing with Top Tier as a 12 year old. Brian played on the 15U and 16U Americans the past two season.
What's your name?
Brian Rapanan
What's your Twitter and your IG handle?
Twitter- @brianrap2323 IG- @brian_rapanan
What were you doing right before you read this?
I was doing some online coding practice to gauge my interest in majoring in computer science related fields.
Finish this sentence- Without school and baseball I finally have enough time to…
Explore different career interests and plan out the future with my family. Additionally, I’ve been able to watch a lot more baseball-related YouTube to stay mentally sharp while away from the game itself.
What's the worst part of social distancing and quarantine?
The worst part has to be the inability to play in actual game situations, especially after a long off-season. As every day of the quarantine passes, the “itch” to play only gets worse.
What's the best part of social distancing and quarantine?
The best part of social distancing is the opportunity to learn more about oneself. With all of the free time available, there are loads of opportunities to listen to new music, learn about a new subject, and much more. Additionally, I’ve been able to catch up with my family, especially my brother, who just got home from college.
What are you worried about running out of the most?
I am most worried about running out of time to spend with my senior friends. Since they leave for college in less than 5 months, a lot of valuable time is being lost because of the quarantine.
Insta, Snap, or Tik-Tok? Why?
I would choose Instagram. I feel that Instagram has the most to offer in terms of photography, creativity, and education. For me, the Instagram explore page is an easy way to catch up on the news and learn about new topics and headlines from various sources.
Which class are you most excited about being done with?
I am very much excited to be done with AP United States History. The class was taught in a manner that made a fairly simple subject way more complicated than it needed to be, and lots of the homework was assigned for the sake of keeping us busy.
If you could quarantine with anyone dead or alive who would it be? Choose 3.
Yadier Molina- I would be able to pick the brain of the greatest catcher in the history of the game.
Robin Williams- Williams is one of my favorite actors, and I’d be able to learn a lot from him while enjoying his humor and company.
My brother- My brother has always been someone I’ve looked up to. He has always set a great example for me and has been someone I can trust with anything.
Would you rather play in the College World Series or be a high school draft pick?
I would rather play in the College World Series. The road to Omaha is definitely a challenge, but I feel like it would be a great opportunity for me to strengthen myself and form a lifelong brotherhood with my teammates.
Droppin' bombs or throwin' ched?
Nothing will ever be able to top the feeling of hitting a bomb.
Who's the most over-hyped player in Major League Baseball right now?
Javier Baez, while I love the fact that he has quite a bit of flair, is often over-hyped. I feel like too many people get caught up in the flashy plays, and ignore the fact that he has a tendency to miss routine plays, and is not a very disciplined hitter.
Pants up or down?
Pants up. Having a bit of style with the socks helps you and your play stand out just a bit more.
Hottest sneakers in the streets right now?
The Off White Air Max 90s will always be one of my favorite shoes out there.
Tell me 5 songs you keep on rotation right now.
Money Trees- Kendrick Lamar
20 Min- Lil Uzi Vert
Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst- Kendrick Lamar
90210- Travis Scott
Ultralight Beam- Kanye West
What 3 items can you not live without right now?
AirPods, my glove, and my laptop
Top 10 in the MLB right now are...?
In no particular order:
Mike Trout, Jacob Degrom, Ronald Acuña Jr., Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich, Gerrit Cole, Nolan Arenado, Mookie Betts, Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor
