Tito is showing
off the skills

By Joe Mason
For the Times

Some day, Edwin "Tito" Rohena hopes to make a living off baseball.
Rohena, who’s entering his senior year at Frankford High School, has been a talented outfielder and pitcher for the Pioneers. He also has been instrumental in the back-to-back Public League baseball championships won by Frankford during the past two seasons.
Last Thursday, Rohena and more than 100 baseball prospects took part in a scouting combine held at Frankford High’s baseball field. The invitation-only showcase was intended for the best of the best.
"I don’t want to say just East Coast, it was the best from the East Coast and West Coast inland," said Frankford coach Juan Namnun, who helped host the event for the third year in a row. "They called me a few years ago and we jumped at it because it’s fun. But this year, it was definitely more fun.
"To see (Rohena) out there, he’s so smooth," Namnun continued. "Some scouts are raving over him. Some are saying he’s good enough to get drafted. Someone in the Philadelphia baseball circles said he’s a borderline Division 3 player and that’s because he’s had all of his success in the Public League. Then you see him against the top talent around and he excels there, too. No doubt, he’s a great player."
Scouts from at least 18 major league baseball teams attended the scouting combine, and Rohena did his part to impress.
But professional baseball, at least for right now, isn’t foremost on Rohena’s mind. His thoughts have turned to playing college baseball. And also how he’d like to make a living in the future.
"I want to study business and marketing and someday open my own business," Rohena said.
And there are other plans.
"I want to open a place where kids can play baseball year-round, inner-city kids," Rohena said. "Before I got to Frankford, I never worked out. I just played baseball when it was warm out, and when it wasn’t, I didn’t concentrate on baseball.
"After I got here, I started working out, doing stuff in the gym and the weight room," he continued. "I want to give kids a chance to play all year, like an indoor place where they can hit, get stronger and learn more about the game."
Every chance he gets, Rohena takes the field.
He works on his hitting.
He works on his fielding.
And, more than anything, he works on his knowledge of the game. That’s why he plays as much baseball as he can.
"I’m always working hard, but it’s not hard work," Rohena said. "I want to put myself in position to be a very good baseball player and prepare for the future, but I don’t look at it like it’s a job. I’ve always loved baseball. I’m working, but I’m having a great time."
Next spring, Rohena hopes he can help the Pioneers claim their third straight Public League crown. After that, he wants to continue playing scholastic baseball.
Most likely a Division 1 prospect, Rohena knows he has a lot to think about over the next 12 months. Baseball is important, but he emphasizes that his education is, too.
"I want to go to a good school, academically," he said. "I want to find a school with a good business program. Of course baseball is important, but it’s not the main thing."
That focus, says Namnun, his coach, has made Rohena an asset on the baseball field.
"Sometimes I get caught up in thinking about how well he does as a player," Namnun said. "But he doesn’t. He’s so focused and he’s such a team guy.
"People always say this about our guys . . . they always tell us how much respect our guys have for the game and have for other players," the coach said. "And that’s more important to me than how good they are on the field. Tito epitomizes that."
Rohena will continue to play as much baseball as possible, both organized and pickup. He’ll also spend much of the summer going up against top players in the nation in various showcases.
"That’s how you get better," he said. "When I play against the best, I always try to get better. I think you try to push yourself when you see better players. That’s what I think happened at the showcase, and I hope to work out in more of those.
"But I’m still having fun," Rohena said. "I want to play baseball, and as long as I’m doing that, I’ll be happy." ••
Joe Mason can be reached at joemason70@hotmail.com