(Photo courtesy of Seaford School District)
One day, Nicholas Barreiros hopes to be like Christian Yelich, one of baseball’s most versatile catchers in the game. But the journey to make it in Major League Baseball is a long, grueling one, and this high school junior has a lengthy journey ahead.
To start his mornings, he’ll have a nice, soothing protein shake. That’s not enough, though. This athlete wants to excel, and to do so, he wants as much protein as he can get. So before he knocks out for the night, he’ll have another cup full of nutrients.
Barreiros is a catcher for the Seaford High School baseball squad. His impressive six-foot, 165-pound stature, combined with endless workouts and protein shakes galore, has created one of the best players in Vikings history.
“You have to be tough to be a catcher,” Barreriros said. “You’re always getting hit, blocking and you have to be the captain of the team.”
Besides Barreiros’ prowess as a strong catcher, he feels that he is a leader for this Vikings squad. Whenever his teammates are down, he said, he attempts to pick them back up.
Led by head coach Mike Milano, Barreiros is mentally and physically preparing for Division I ball. While the competition is tougher, stronger and better at the college level, the potential is endless if he continues to do what he does best.
“As the catcher, Nick’s responsible for a wide variety of game and practice situations,” Milano said. “Nick handles our diverse pitching staff with ease, controls the running game and also hits fifth in our lineup. Nick is an athletic catcher with a strong, accurate arm. Offensively, Nick hits in a pivotal lineup spot. We are so happy to have Nick back in 2020, and we are excited to see him hit and catch in the 2019 playoffs.”
Barreiros’ baseball journey began when he was 5 years old. He started playing tee-ball for Seaford Little League. From there, he joined a travel team, playing for the 9u team (meant for 9 year olds) when he was just 7 years old.
Ever since, his work ethic has developed and now, he’s one of the top players for Seaford.
“I try to go to the gym at least five days a week,” he said. “During the offseason, I go everyday, no matter what. You have to keep working out. I go to the gym right after practice. The grind never stops.”
Currently, Barreiros doesn’t know where he will play at the NCAA level. However, his goal is clear: Be a leader.
“We all played little league together,” Barreriros said. “I definitely consider them as family.”
