Two-time Under Armour All-American Alex Toral is in the midst of a three-peat. Part of a dominant team in South Florida, the Davie, Florida native is looking to help Archbishop McCarthy win their third consecutive state title in his senior season.

The slugging first baseman is part of a select group of athletes who were two-time selections to the All-America Game and we saw first hand the kind of player Toral was on the field and the type of leader he is off of it. At the event, he again showed why he’s one of the premier left-handed hitters in the 2017 class, utilizing an excellent mix of hit tools and power with the knack for hitting well in pressurized situations against top pitching.

Toral swings for the fences during last year’s Home Run Derby

I recently spoke with the University of Miami commit about his high school team’s success, how the experience of playing in major league ballparks has helped him be successful so far, his relationship with former major league pitcher, Alex Fernandez and his memories of being an All-American.

Matt Lund: What part of your game are you working on now that you’re into your senior season?

Alex Toral: During the season, I’m focusing on my defense, honestly, that’s what is going to help my team win the most is playing good defense behind my pitching. The hitting is always going to be there… but defense is what wins ball games, so right now, that’s all I’m working on in practice.

ML: What are some of your favorite memories of playing in the All-America Game and being in the very small group of players who are two-time All-Americans?

AT: Honestly, my favorite memories of the All-America Game would probably be off the field with all of the guys in the little room they had for us. Guys from across the country that you don’t get to sit down and talk to every day… guys like Cole Turney, Ryan Vilade, Hunter Greene… even playing ping pong and messing around, its something you don’t get to do every  day, so it’s a great experience.

ML: In addition to All-America, you have done a few other Baseball Factory events, including the 2013 UA Fall Classic and a College PREP in Delray Beach, FL in 2015. What did you enjoy the most while attending Baseball Factory events?

AT: The exposure you get. There are so many people there watching you.. it’s something you can’t take for granted. It’s a blessing to be out there with so many people watching…

ML: What separates Baseball Factory from some of the other organizations you’ve done events with?

AT: I think the Baseball Factory is a first class organization… you guys treat the players with such respect and its much different from all the other events I’ve played at.

ML: That upper deck homer at Marlins Park has to be high up on your list of memories..

AT: That HR was special.. I’ve had the chance to play at Marlins Park four years in a row… I’ve had three home runs there, and two of them have gone into the upper deck. You don’t get to play in a big league stadium every day. Coach Alex… he treats us like big leaguers and tries to give us the best big league experience out of high school that you can get.

Once a year, Toral’s team gets an amazing opportunity to play at Marlins Park because of former Florida Marlins pitcher Alex Fernandez, who is currently the director of baseball operations at Archbishop McCarthy High School.

AT: We play there in the beginning of the season to gain experience for those guys who may have never played in a big-league park or regular high school guys who might not go on to play baseball.

ML: With the kind of experience that he has, what have you learned from Fernandez to better prepare yourself?

AT: Coach Alex has been my coach for a very long time and is like a second father to me. Honestly, he’s taught me so much on the field, but the one thing I always take from him is that he taught me how to be a competitor and to fight, whether it’s in an at-bat or on defense or when I used to pitch, just go out and fight. You’re a baseball player, but once you get in the box or on the mound, you’re fighting like a boxer. He taught me how to hate to lose more than love to win.

ML: You’ve been a major part of two consecutive state titles at Archbishop McCarthy…what has that experience been like?

AT: My freshman year, we came up short in the Regional Finals. Us losing that game made me hungry to come back and help lead us to win a state title. My sophomore year, we started playing well and once we won a few games, we knew we had a good chance despite being young. We got hot at the right time. Once we won that first one, it’s like having that piece of the pie you’ve never had in your life and when you take a bite out of it, you’re like, I want more. We were hungry to succeed. Then, when we won another last year, now everyone is striving for another one to finish our careers, we want to go out with a bang.

ML: There has been some notable players who have come through the program at McCarthy, Nick Castellanos comes to mind… do you have any relationships with former players and have you learned anything from them?

AT: 100%. Me and Castellanos are real tight. I hit with him in the offseason down here before he leaves for spring training. Hitting with him, you pick up little things. It’s not every day you get to hit with a big leaguer, especially one that went to your program who you know cares about you, he’s not just there because someone made him be there. He’s the one that will text and say, “hey do you want to get some swings in?” You just pick up little things.. how he goes into his work, what he does in the cage. Same thing with Brian Gonzalez, I throw with him every day when he’s down here in the off-season, we go to same trainer, both work out together. I’m truly fortunate to work with people that not everyone gets to have someone like that who went through the process to be able to nitpick their mind so that you have some sort of mindset going into it.

ML: You have committed to the University of Miami, which has a rich history of players from McCarthy who have gone there… what made you comfortable in selecting the U?

AT: It really was a hard choice, I will not lie to you. Picking my college was one of the toughest choices I’ve made at my life. The coaches at Miami made me feel like that’s where I wanted to be and it’s a home to me. I want my parents to be able to watch me every day like they have my whole life. It’s where I felt most comfortable and where I think my chances for success are the best.

ML: If you’re lucky to be selected for this year’s draft… what kinds of things are you working on. Do you have that in the back of your mind?

AT: I try not to pay attention to the major league draft so much right now. I’m trying to enjoy my final season of high school baseball, with a lot of my best friends that I’ve played with since I was 10 years old. I try to live in the moment and when that time gets here, we’ll figure it out, but right now, the only thing on my mind is focusing on winning another state title.

ML: Do you have a Favorite player that you kind of look at their game and say, “wow, they’re doing it the right way”?

AT: I don’t really try to model my game after anyone else. The only person that can be Alex Toral is me and I just try to go out there and be myself. I don’t try to model my swing after, say, Miguel Cabrera or David Ortiz. I want to be my own person. But, there are people out there that I enjoy watching like a Cabrera. His swing is so beautiful, nice and fluid.

ML: The World Baseball Classic wrapped up in March and was quite exciting – what did you think of the tournament?

AT: I love the way they play in the WBC, in the majors, I don’t think they play with that much emotion all the time the way they do like when they’re playing for their country. I had the chance to play with Team USA when I was 15 years old, and it brings back memories. I love watching baseball and to see how enthusiastic the players were… that’s how I love to play the game, with energy and emotion and it was an awesome Baseball Classic.

ML: ...And you were rooting for…?

AT: USA all the way!