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Here’s our TLI for Wednesday, May 3, 2023:
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EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT: JAZMINE RAMOS-MERCED
1B/3B/UT Jazmine Ramos-Merced, #39 in the 2026 Extra Elite 100, recently talked to Extra Inning Softball about Virginia Unity-Meadows/Spinogatti, Baldwin High, PGF Nationals, Triple Crown Colorado Sparkler, her older teammates, future college, attorney, Roberto Clemente, Marc Anthony, “All American” and cooking.
EXTRA ELITE SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Name: Jazmine Ramos-Merced
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
High School: Baldwin High
Club Team: Virginia Unity 16U-Meadows/Spinogatti
Graduation Year: 2026
Height: 5-foot-9
Position: 1B/3B/UT
Nickname: Jazzy
Twitter: @Jazzy_2026
Honors: #39 in the 2026 Extra Elite 100; All-Gateway Conference (2022 & 2022); 2nd team All-First Coast (2021 & 2022); Middle School Athlete of the Year (2021 & 2022); Indian Award (2021); 2nd Team All-State (2021); and DCPS Middle School Athletic All-Conference (Volleyball, 2021).
Travel Ball Fall Stats: .369 AVG,.423 OBP, .884 OPS, .462 SLG, .24 hits, 15 RBIs and .958 fielding percentage.
High School Stats: .458 AVG, .541 OBP, 1.416 OPS, .875 SLG, 33 hits, 33 RBIs, 7 HRs and .900 fielding percentage.
Tell us about your travel team/organization and how you became involved with them? My travel team is a super competitive, athletic, tight-knit group of girls. We all seek the same goal, which is to play college softball and we all work in order to achieve that goal. When my prior travel ball team disbanded I was looking for a team that was highly competitive, that wanted to play at the national stage in front of college coaches to help us achieve our common goal, as well as coaches that would point out the areas that I needed to work on and help me grow in those areas. I found all of these traits at the very first workout I did with Virginia Unity.
Tell us about your high school team and how you are doing? We come from a small town, but everyone supports us. It’s really cool. We have fireworks, a student section and even trucks pull up behind our field to cheer us on every home game. All of that support helps my high school team strive to be a very competitive team that works to be the best. We’s coming off a big season last year going all the way to the final four for the first time in school history and came back this year with the hunger to compete and win states. So far this year we’re doing really well despite injuries to some of our key players and I think we are on our way to winning it all this year.
Can you tell us about your experience at PGF Nationals last summer? My PGF experience was definitely one to remember. It was my first time competing on the national stage. I didn’t have my best offensive tournament, but my defensive game was great and helped my team make it very far, getting top 13 at that tournament. Can’t wait to be back this year and compete. We are so ready!
What tournament/showcase/event are you looking forward to this summer and why? This is a tough question because our schedule is loaded this summer. But out of all of them, I have to go with Triple Crown Colorado Sparkler because we are playing very tough competition in the 16U national power pool.
Which player/team was your toughest opponent and why? Our toughest opponent was our older team Virginia Unity-Johnson/Ross (team).They are a team full of committed players to good programs. They are very talented girls and it’s always a competitive game when we play them. It’s always a fun game to be a part of and I grow as a player every time we play each other.
What are you looking for in a future college? I am looking for a school that will allow me to achieve my educational goals and start a career after college, as well as a softball program where players have a lot of chemistry on and off the field and treat each other as family, a program that pushes me to be a better person and player.
What areas are you interested in future occupations and why? I am interested in becoming an attorney for struggling families and children as my two older siblings are both adopted and had a hard start of life. I not only like to help people, but I also like to make my point and fight for what’s right.
Who is your sports hero and why? My sports hero is Roberto Clemente. I am a Puerto Rican born in the United States and his story is truly inspirational, not only to me, but for many Hispanics. He was a true hero on and off the field as he lost his life on the way to help the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. He is the reason I use the number 21 on my back.
What’s the best hype song and why? For me, the best hype song is my walk-up song “Gente de Zona” by La Gozadera feat Marc Anthony. It’s not only a good song, but it talks about all Hispanics coming together as one and celebrating what makes us unique. And as a Puerto Rican what makes us unique is our passion, which we use to do everything.
What’s your favorite TV show to binge and why? My favorite TV show to binge is definitely “All American,” because it shows the life of a player and how he had to balance family, school and sports, but also what he has to do to maintain his scholarship.
Do you have a secret talent/skill? My secret talent is that I can cook really good food. It’s in my blood, because my family loves to cook, so they teach me every time I go to Puerto Rico to visit, especially my Abuela Tita, who taught me the most.
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