Matt Szczur, pictured with the Short-Season Class-A Boise Hawks, has climbed a couple levels in just one year. Post by Austin Hannon. (Photo courtesy Boise Hawks)

Some players just find a way to separate themselves both on and off the field.

In May 2010, Matt Szczur (pronounced Cesar) donated stem cells to help save an 18-month-old girl that he had never met. One year later, he finds himself ranked as one of Baseball America’s midseason top 50 prospects.

On July 10, a day after being promoted to Class-A Advanced Daytona, the rising center fielder participated in the XM Futures Game, a display of each franchise’s elite prospects. ESPN’s Pedro Gomez performed an in-game dugout interview that touched upon Szczur’s decision to choose baseball over his gridiron skills he flashed at Villanova.

“To be honest, I thought I would miss it,” Szczur said, about his decision to leave football for baseball. “I realized in spring training, football wasn’t for me. I was excited I chose baseball.” (more…)