Jamill Moquette, a senior outfielder entering his final season with the Beacons, is on the radar of several MLB teams for the upcoming first year player draft in June. Moquette, who is currently ranked the number five prospect in all of Division Three by Baseball America, is hoping to break ground and become the first modern Beacon athlete to suit up for a team in one of the four major sports. 
“It’s a big honor for me and for the program,” Moquette said, “but I can’t take it for granted. I know I can get drafted, but I have to be humble because I have not accomplished anything just yet.”
The 6’3, 215 pounder from Boston is looking to build off of an incredible junior season he had a year ago with both the Beacons and the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.
With regard to the University of Massachusetts Boston, Moquette was second on the team with a .319 batting average and was ranked in the top five in the Little East Conference (LEC) in stolen bases, walks, and on-base percentage. Moquette also led the team in slugging percentage and fielding percentage. For his efforts, Moquette was named to the LEC All Conference team and was also an All-Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) selection this past summer.
Moquette believes his mantra of hard work and staying humble has contributed to his success. “With baseball, it’s a game you have to really work at, so just staying humble and working hard have been the main reasons for my success,” Moquette said.  
Despite his dedication, Moquette was not heavily recruited coming out of high school. “Being an inner-city kid, it was kind of hard to get looked at by big-name schools. Suffering an arm injury really didn’t help either,” Moquette said. “I actually went to a community college and then transferred in [to UMass Boston].”
When he transferred, Moquette knew right from the start that he had made the right choice. “I really love the school. Coach [Brendan] Eygabroat was a big influence [for] me. He told me ‘it’s not where you put the work in, it’s how much work you put in.’”
Coach Eygabroat himself had a lot to say about his star player: “Jamill is a great person on and off the field. He has a tremendous work ethic, is a great teammate and is well-liked by his teammates and coaches.” He added, “he is an extremely gifted baseball player who hits for both power and high average, and also has a very strong throwing arm.”
When asked how much Moquette means to the program, Eygabroat replied: “Jamill means a lot to the team in terms of his leadership and setting a great example. He is one of the most talented players in the country and has a good shot at being an MLB draft pick in June. He should have a great season and help lead us to a lot of victories.”
While Moquette is aware of what could be on the horizon, he says he still has a few things to accomplish this year for the Beacons. As he enters his final season in a UMass Boston uniform, he has two goals in mind. “I want to improve my power this year, and try to hit more than five home runs,” Moquette says, “but the most important goal is winning an LEC championship.”
Over the last few years, the Athletic Department has been blessed with several great athletes who went on to play their sport on a professional level. There was Ryan Walsh, a pitcher who signed with the Can-Am League’s Newark Bears Baseball Club back in 2011. This past summer, former Volleyball great Shannon Thompson signed with VC Tirol in Austria. The Beacon’s Men’s Hockey team has produced a few professional players, most notably Rob Florentino, who just recently laced up his skates for the Reading Royals of the East Coast Hockey League.
Although each of the aforementioned former Beacons have gone on to find success in pro leagues at the completion of their college careers, none have received the honor of being drafted to a big-league club. In 1969, Rod Forbes, a Boston State basketball player was made the 173rd pick in the NBA Draft, when the Celtics took him. The Celtics also took John Rice with the 205th pick in 1983. Moquette is hopeful that he will be the first Beacon in the modern era to be selected by a team in the four major sports.
Coach Eygabroat believes in his star player. “I am very confident that Jamill will earn himself that opportunity [to play pro ball],” he said. “Jamill has done a great job of playing in NCAA summer leagues against very good competition to show he can compete at a very high level.” 
Just about every kid who grew up playing sports dreams about becoming a professional athlete. Whether they dream about winning gold at the Olympics, leading their team to the Super Bowl, or hitting the game-winning shot or home run, almost every young man and woman strives to make it to the big leagues. Jamill Moquette has a real shot of being one of the rare few who chase that dream and finally catch it.