Athlete of the week: Brandon Pimentel

Graduate student Brandon Pimentel, of El Paso, is a first baseman and outfielder for the UTRGV Baseball Team. He graduated from Socorro High School and is in a financial planning master’s program.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: “Well, most of my free time is probably spent here at the baseball field, or just hanging around with the guys. Back home, I’ll probably be off-roading with the family, and just hanging around with family and friends, traveling, outdoor stuff, hiking, a lot of outdoor stuff.” 

Q: What are some of your favorite foods to make/eat while you are out on the road?

A: “I like all types of food, so probably Mexican food. I really like sushi, but I don’t know how to make sushi. So, I wish I knew how to make sushi.”

Q: Who would you consider to be your role model? 

A: “Yeah, my parents for sure. They’re hardworking, and just looking up to them, using them as motivation, and they’re just really my heroes.”

Q: When and why did you first get into baseball?

A: “I’ve been playing since I was around 3 or 4, so …every day [I have] been working and practicing every day since that time. ”

Q: What has been your proudest moment in your athletic career?

A: “Winning the College World Series in 2021. That’s the highlight. [I] played at Mississippi State for 2021 and then we made it to the world series, and we won.”

Q: How do you like playing for UTRGV, and how does it compare to other teams you have played for?

A:. “I love playing with them ’cause it’s more of a family here and we get to go out every day and compete with each other, and against everyone else. And it’s kind of like a family we built here. It’s fun to just go practice every day with these guys. ”

Q: Would you want to go pro? Or would you rather focus on your studies?

A: “I would love to go pro, and if that doesn’t work out, studies is always there, but yeah, I definitely wanna go pro.”

Q: Is there anyone in particular you want to give a shoutout to?

A: “Just all the boys that are with me every day.”

–Compiled by Julien Juarez

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