Kiernan O’Neil. {Courtesy}
By: Matt Rothman
Another baseball player from North Broward Prep is ready to compete in college.
Kiernan O’Neill, a junior living in Coconut Creek, is officially set to play at the University of Central Florida, committing months after his older brother Killian O’Neill signed with Webber State University.
“It’s a blessing to be a part of such an established program,” Kieran said. “Being committed leaves a lot of stress off my shoulders, but it will give me a lot of time to prepare for the next level as a better player and an even better human being.”
Kieran began playing baseball in the Margate Recreational League when he was three before transitioning to travel ball with the Margate Legacy for the next four years.
“Joining Barwis Baseball allowed me to train like a pro and develop to perform like a phenom, Kieran added. “The coaches surrounding me today there has been a God-given gift. Patrick Grady, Jose Piedra, and Alex Pepe prepared me to get used to the exposure, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Kieran also played one year for Coral Springs Charter as a sophomore and hit .295 with a home run and 13 RBIs. However, he is set to play his final two years of high school baseball at North Broward Prep, where the Eagles have been to three straight State Finals. He will also be playing alongside teammates Mateo Gray, Gavin Gargiulo, and Alex Rodriguez from Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
Kieran said UCF filled all of the checkmarks in picking the correct school. He says talking to the coaching staff weekly was surreal because of how they treated him as a player. Kieran went on to take a visit and called it one of the best weekends he had ever had and knew that it would be his future home.
Before playing in college, he hopes to improve in building a foundation of strength and fixing his mental game.
“Not being the biggest kid on the field doesn’t affect my gameplay today, but mentally preparing for the practices, lifts, and the stress college will hit me with is something I would like to prepare for,” Kieran added.
Kieran is set to join a team that won 33 games competing in the ACC. They have been to the NCAA Championship 12 times, with the last coming in 2017.
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