Wilson’s Rueben Livingston excited to start new chapter in baseball journey
Two-time All-Berks pick Rueben Livingston was disappointed when he wasn’t selected in the Major League Baseball Draft last week, but it only made his resolve to play professional baseball stronger.
“I learned you have to be really, really good at baseball to be a professional,” said the recent Wilson grad. “I feel I’m going to go to college and become a better hitter, become a better infielder, become a better ballplayer, and I’ll be able to show that I can play at that level.”
In order to have a chance to play professionally sooner Livingston has decommitted from Kent State and accepted a scholarship offer to play at Miami Dade College.
By playing at the JUCO level he’ll be eligible for the 2023 MLB Draft; had he gone to a four-year school he wouldn’t be eligible for the draft until his junior season.
“It’s been my dream to play professional baseball ever since I was a little kid,” Livingston said. “I wanted to make that dream possible in the next year or two.”
Livingston is coming off a big senior season which saw him bat .357 with three home runs, 16 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 22 games. His .543 on-base average was tied for second-best in the Berks League; his .696 slugging percentage ranked third.
He was also one of the league’s top pitchers, ranking fourth with a 1.45 ERA and fifth with 62 strikeouts. He pitched a two-hitter in a 4-2 win over Boyertown on the final day of the regular season to clinch a District 3 Tournament spot for the Bulldogs and pitched a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts to beat Twin Valley 3-2 in a Berks quarterfinal.
He may have thrown his final pitch; he’ll concentrate on third base and possibly first base with the Sharks.
Miami Dade went 39-19-1 last season and won its second straight Southern Conference championship. It reached the FCSAA (Florida College System Activities Association) championship game, falling to Central Florida 4-3. The Sharks won the title in 2021.
Top players such as Steve Carlton, Bucky Dent, Mickey Rivers and Raul Ibanez played in the program, which previously went by Miami Dade Junior College.
“I think the JUCO route is probably the best route for me,” the 18-year-old Livingston said. “I spoke to a couple of kids that went JUCO and they said it was one of the best experiences of their life.
“I want to have that experience; I want to play professional baseball as soon as possible. And even if (I don’t get drafted) I’m able to play two years, show what I can do and then possible (transfer) to a Power Five school and get drafted there.”
The 6-4, 220-pound Livingston committed to Kent State in August 2020, prior to his sophomore season. He said it was difficult to inform the Golden Flashes coaching staff the he would not be playing for them.
“I really loved the guys up there, from (head) Coach (Jeff) Duncan to (assistant) coach (Barrett) Serrato,” he said. “I talked to them three, four time a week. When I made that phone call it was really hard. You become so attached (to the program). They were really understanding (of my decision).”
Livingston was part of a power-packed Wilson team that went 22-2 and won a District 3 Class 6A championship in 2021. He was the lone junior in the starting lineup and one of the league’s most feared hitters. He batted .393 with a 1.407 OPS.
“That team was something to remember,” he said. “It’s just amazing to see they’re all on the path to play college baseball.
Livingston is ready to join them.
“The new chapter of my life really starts in about two weeks,” he said.