According to baseball head coach Scott Hertler, the most improved baseball player is  sophomore pitcher Derek Carter.

“He’s pretty much been our number one pitcher, pretty much all season long and vastly improved over last year,” said  Hertler.

“He’s been our stopper, you know. We lose a game, he gets up, gives us a chance to win.”

Carter said  he has been playing baseball for his whole life.

“I probably started between three and five years old,” he said.

Before playing for De Anza, he pitched for  Delmar High School for all four years of high school.

Carter, a 21-year-old kinesiology major, reflected on his accomplishments and how he feels he has improved.

“I feel more confidence in myself, throwing more strikes. I’m able to pick myself up and take the starter role,” he said.

Now, at the end of the season and after recovering from an injury to the forearm during the season, Carter looks on to the future and where baseball may take him.

He hopes to transfer to a university and be an integral part of their baseball team.

Carter said he hopes for the right school to come along.

“I’m hoping maybe a Division 2 school will pick me up right now,” he said.

After college, he has even bigger aspirations of making it in the MLB.

“I’m trying to go to the pros, that’s what I’m really working on,” said Carter.

Hertler is proud of how Carter ha improved.

“When you compete and you work hard in practice, and you do the right things on and off the field, there’s no telling what you can do,” said Hertler.

“We’re real proud of him as a student, and we’re proud of him as a student athlete.”