XAVIER MACKLIN

CONGRATS TO THE X-MAN ON HIS FIRST COLLEGE BOMB! 3-4 WITH A HOMER! NOT A BAD DAY AT THE DIAMOND X! KEEP ON DIGGIN'!!!

 

?????

Who is Xavier Macklin?

 

XAVIER IS ONE OF THE MOST WELL MANNERED AND HUMBLE YOUNG MEN YOU EVER WANT TO MEET THAT HAS LOTS OF POTENTIAL TO GO FAR IN THE GAME OF BASEBALL.

 

I wish him continued success. Sounds like a young man we would all like to get to know. I believe what the poster was asking is to give everybody some background info on Xavier: What high school he attended, position, etc, etc....

 

Xavier graduated from Nash Central High School. He is the same age as fellow Nash residents Brian Goodwin and Tyler Joyner. They all played on the very successful Babe Ruth team that made World series appearances two years in a row. He is a freshman at NC A&T. Very, very talented kid who is sure to do well.

 

You can see Xavier at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Sunday when NCA&T visits NCCU in a matchup of the only 2 Divsion I HBCU's in North Carolina.

 

that name just sounds like a major leaguer!!

 

This is Xman

Freshman Macklin off to fast start for A&T
Chuck Curti
3/26/2009

[email protected]
C.J. Beatty heard about it in the fall. He heard about a young man named Xavier Macklin who would be joining the North Carolina A&T baseball team. He heard about the tremendous power potential.
“He has a nice athletic build. And you think maybe he might be a good hitter, but power?” Beatty said, admitting that he was skeptical of the punch packed by the 6-foot-1, 190-pound freshman. “As soon as he takes BP … his bat speed is phenomenal. He might have the best bat speed on our team. He doesn’t get cheated on any one of his swings.
“Once I saw the tools, I was like, this guy has it together.”
In a season where the Aggies were seeking to restock a roster decimated by graduation, they have found a budding star in Macklin. It didn’t take the Rocky Mount, N.C., native long to prove he belonged.
Macklin went 3 for 5 with two RBIs in his first collegiate game, a loss to Campbell. That was just a taste of what was to come.
Through A&T’s first 20 games – Macklin has started every one – he leads the team in hits (27) runs (20) doubles (11) RBIs (15) and stolen bases (8). His .346 batting average is second only to Beatty, and he has two homers, also second on the team.
The soft-spoken Macklin admits he’s surprised by his early success, especially after having his batting stance altered and suffering an injury in the fall.
“I guess I am kind of surprised I’m doing as good as I’m doing,” said Macklin. “When I came here, they changed my batting stance. I found one that worked for me, but I wasn’t sure how it was going to transfer into games.
“At the end of the season, I’m not really worried about any individual accolades. I just want us to win the conference tournament so we can get the ring and make it to the (NCAA) regional tournament.”
Aggies coach Keith Shumate had a hunch Macklin would be a talent from the instant he saw him play at Nash Central High School.
“When I first saw him, I called my assistants and said they had to go see him,” said Shumate. “I thought that he was special, and I thought he was someone people were missing. I fell in love with him in five minutes. The guy can play.
“And he’s an even better person. He’s the most humble kid you’ll ever find.”
But underneath the quiet exterior burns a passion to succeed. In a game against North Carolina Central Monday, Macklin showed a bit of that spark.
In the fifth inning, Macklin hit a towering double to left field that bounced off the “Blue Monster” at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, where Central plays its home games. The hit brought in a pair of runs and also displeased NCC’s pitcher.
“I saw that the pitcher was mad, and he was saying some things that I didn’t like,” said Macklin. “It kind of fired me up for my next at bat.”
The next time Macklin came to the plate, it was to lead off the eighth inning. This time, he sent a shot over the 32-foot-high Blue Monster.
“He threw a fastball down the middle, and I just put a hard swing to it,” said Macklin. “It felt good coming off the bat. I knew it was going out, but I didn’t want to show up the pitcher. That would be too disrespectful.”
That incident seems to be typical of Macklin’s competitive nature. Beatty said he realized right away that this freshman was not going to be intimidated.
“You can see it in his eyes,” said Beatty. “No matter what team we played, or who is on the mound, whenever he steps in that box, he’s trying to take the cover off of it.”
Macklin said one of the factors that has helped him start so well is how relaxed he’s been. In high school, he was counted on to do something spectacular every time he stepped to the plate, but he doesn’t have that expectation now.
“In high school, it seemed like there was more pressure to hit for power in clutch situations,” he said. “But here, everybody is just as good as you, and it’s good knowing you have guys like C.J. Beatty and Nick Rogers (hitting) behind you.”
There’s more to Macklin’s game than just a quick bat. He’s settled in as an outfielder after playing the first three games of the season at shortstop, where he committed four errors. He’s committed two more errors in the 17 games he’s spent in the outfield, but he also has shown a penchant for making difficult catches.
In the N.C. Central game, said Shumate, Macklin made a running Willie Mays-style catch in center field.
The speed that gives him range in the outfield also makes him a threat as a base stealer. Shumate said that if the Aggies hadn’t been so far behind in some of their early non-conference games, Macklin would have more than eight swipes.
“It’s a pride thing. I like the challenge,” Macklin said about stealing bases. “If (the other team’s) catcher is really good, I want to steal three bases on him.”
While Macklin presents the total package, there are still some edges to smooth. Shumate said his batting mechanics in particular need some more refining, but Beatty has no doubt that Macklin will continue to get better.
“He’s so willing to listen to instruction,” Beatty said. “Anytime you’re willing to do better, the sky is the limit because you’re always going to get something positive. Even if he gets something negative, he’s going to turn it into a positive light.”
The early returns on Macklin have been encouraging. The future looks even more promising.
“When you consider he’s a freshman …,” said Shumate. “He’s a pro prospect if we ever had one. But he’s so grounded, so down to Earth. You have to pinch yourself and say, ‘Is this kid for real?’”

 

This is but one reason that X is so special. He plays the game the right way.

 

Xavier Macklin!

Last year, I witnessed 2 homeruns by the X-man during a showcase tournament At Virginia Beach. He blasted 2 HIGH-TOWERING shots over the fences at Old Dominion & Norfolk State. The shots were in the atmosphere: both of them! High shots! He was playing for the Wilson Bulldogs. As good a player as he is, he is much better person. Very polite & humble.Good guys do finish first!