Where are they now? Featuring Dawson Baracani

Sunday January 7, 2024 - 9:30 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger

The MCC Baseball program is one of the most successful and well known programs in  the state of Arizona and the NJCAA. With legendary head coach Tony Cirelli at the helm for nearly thirty years, countless Thunderbirds have graced the Mesa baseball field and moved on to the next level to continue their collegiate baseball journey and beyond.

Dawson Baracani is a Thunderbird who fits that mold. Baracani, from Sammamish, WA attended Skyline High School where he played varsity baseball in his sophomore - senior year. In that time Baracani would have a .434 average, score 27 runs, have 33 hits, and earned 27 RBIs.

Baracani doesn't believe he chose Mesa, but that Mesa chose him as he was originally going to try to walk onto the baseball team at Grand Canyon University. His journey would change however as a coach in his high school conference who played at MCC in the 90's still had a connection with the coaches at Mesa and connected Baracani with the current staff. After hearing how good the program and coaching staff are, Baracani was sold on becoming a Thunderbird.

Baracani spent three years at MCC due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In those three years Baracani held a .289 batting average, had 88 hits, earned 41 RBIs, and scored 54 runs. Baracani was also an outstanding infielder, after switching from third base to shortstop he would go on to excel thanks to extra fielding work he and teammates would do before practices. Baracani would earn a conference Gold Glove award in his sophomore season while also being named to the All-Region DII team.

After leaving MCC Baracani would move on to play DI baseball at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In his 2023 season he would start 56 games and have a .228 batting average, while ending the season with a .935 fielding average.

Baracani experienced growing pains early in his time at UMBC as he had a rough spring, batting just .100 - .120 before his batting coach helped change his swing. The adjustment paid off as in the second half of the season Baracani was batting between .280 - .300.  

Looking back Baracani does value and miss his time as a Thunderbird, specifically the coaching staff who created a hard work culture to achieve success. From the early morning timed runs to early morning lifts, Baracani bought into the MCC way and it paid off for him in the long run. Baracani firmly believes that his defensive ability and his improved defense in his years at MCC is what helped push him to be able to play NCAA DI baseball. 

"I'm so happy I went to Mesa, those coaches don't get enough credit for what they do," said Baracani.

Click here to watch a MCC Student Athlete Podcast featuring Baracani.

Click here to view Baracani's UMBC profile. 

Photo credit goes to UMBC Athletics.