Some may know him as Daren Garcia the quarterback, but if you ask him and his inner circle, he's a baseball player at heart.

"I started playing when I was three," Garcia said. "My dad introduced me to the game and my mom taking me to every game. My grandparents, they were all there for me at all times."

Garcia is a four year letterman shortstop at PSJA North. He's evolved into a masterful force at the plate for the Raiders, boasting a staggering batting average over .500 on the season to go along with 25 runs batted in.

"I like to put the ball in play; put the ball in gaps and hit from gap to gap and you know just create chaos for the other team, and I like to take a bag if I can and just be aggressive at all times and never let down on the play," Garcia said.

"You could see his talent and he does a really good job hitting the ball," PSJA North baseball head coach Tony Leal added. "He's back in his little groove and plays a really good shortstop."

In his senior season, Garcia is embracing his role of being the extra coach on the diamond.

"Just treating them with respect at all times and teaching little keys on how to play the game right and treat the game with respect," Garcia said.

"We make an error and he'll be the first one to pick him up and say, hey let's go," Leal said.

His strong character paved the way towards earning a baseball scholarship to Alvin Community College.

"I got a call from Alvin College coach Schreiber and coach Vaughn and coach Ellis," Garcia added. "They took me out for a visit over there and it's a beautiful place. It's a very good junior college and they play in a really good conference."

Right now, Garcia's objective is finishing out the regular season as a back-to-back district champion followed by what he and the team hope will be a deep playoff run.

"You know I look back at times when this game is to have fun and you got to play this game as a kid so you know go out there and have fun and be great," Garcia said.

CHANNEL 5 SPORTS is highlighting high school senior athletes on our Playmaker of the Week segment every Wednesday on CHANNEL 5 NEWS at 10.