As he enters his next chapter, Kevin McGonigle continues to approach life the same way he does
stepping into the batter’s box: focusing on the next.
“There's gonna be times that you fail a lot,” McGonigle said. “And I'm sure there's a lot more
coming in my career where it's gonna get worse and worse. So it's just the way you got to keep
your eyes straight, don't remember that kind of stuff, just keep your focus on the next at-bat, the
next play in the field. Always want the ball after an error and always want to get back in that box
after a strikeout.”
As a native of Philadelphia and lifelong Phillies fan, McGonigle remembers a fellow middle
infielder playing with this same approach on his way to winning the team's last World Series in
2008.
“Just the way Chase Utley plays and how hard he worked out there and always kept his chin up
after errors or bad at-bats,” McGonigle said.
Currently rated as the No. 6 player in the 2023 class, McGonigle will soon have the
opportunity to play on a stage he’s dreamed about since watching it for the first time.
“It was amazing because right when I heard it, I thought back to when I was like 13 years old
sitting in my room and just watching that game and thinking, ‘I'm gonna be there one day, I need
to be a PG All-American’ and here it is, coming up very shortly.”
Following his trip to Arizona, the Auburn commit will return to his hometown to finish up his
final season of a decorated high school career.
The reigning Philadelphia Catholic League's Defensive Player of the Year hit .506 last season to
go along with 11 home runs and just two strikeouts over 27 games.
For his effort on both sides of the ball, Bonner-Prendergast High School came away with a
league and District title and just one game short of a state title game.
His familiarity with the players across the league has been the driving force in wanting to repeat
as champions along with adding a state championship to his resume.
“I know most of the teams and I know what most of the guys want to do and what they don't
like,” McGonigle said. “They want to beat us very, very badly. Last year we're the number one
team in the Catholic League and every team out there was just looking at beating us and that's
the way to do it. I love that stuff.
“I just want to get out there and win a PCL again and make that state run. We need that state run,
it's been two years in a row that we lost in the states and we gotta go out and get it now.”
More than a decade since watching Utley and the Phillies dominate the NL East, McGonigle
continues to live with the mentality he took early on.
“I want to be the guy that goes out there and keeps his chin up, runs on the field, runs off the
field with his chin up, and just tries his hardest every game out there and gives it his all.”