Gio Rojas Named Broward's Top Player in 7A-5A Baseball

Gio Rojas has proven himself a formidable presence on the baseball field, starting 31 games for Stoneman Douglas High School over the past three years. Impressively, he emerged victorious in 28 of those outings. The talented left-handed pitcher has once again claimed the title of Sun Sentinel Broward County 7A-5A player of the year, repeating his honor from the previous season, which he shared with St. Thomas Aquinas’ Zachary Malvasio.

This season, Rojas faced a single setback: a tough loss against West Broward on February 25, where he allowed seven runs in just five innings, with five of those runs being unearned. Despite this setback, he went on to dominate, allowing only six more runs over his final ten appearances. Rojas concluded his senior year with an impressive record of 11-1, striking out a remarkable 124 batters in 71 innings, while maintaining a minuscule ERA of 0.59.

Throughout his three-year tenure with the Eagles, Rojas accumulated an overall record of 28-1 and recorded 284 strikeouts in 158 innings, all while boasting a 0.71 ERA. Reflecting on his journey, Rojas expressed gratitude towards his coach, Todd Fitz-Gerald, stating, “I can’t be (more) thankful to coach Fitz-Gerald and the coaching staff around me for the opportunity I had.”

Rojas capped off his high school career with a memorable performance that led Stoneman Douglas to victory over nationally ranked Venice for the 7A title. Pitching 6 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and striking out 12 batters, he described the win as “kind of like the cherry on top to go out on such a big win, especially facing the best team in the country.” This victory marked the Eagles' sixth consecutive state championship, carrying added emotional weight as it came during a challenging time for coach Fitz-Gerald, whose wife is battling brain cancer. Rojas noted, “I feel like we came out and produced for him. I feel like this win was (for) Colleen.”

Looking ahead, Rojas has signed with the University of Miami, but his future may lead him to the professional ranks. He is considered a top prospect in the upcoming MLB draft, currently rated as the No. 8 eligible player by MLB Pipeline. Nevertheless, Rojas remains focused on the present, insisting, “I never let that distract me.”