By Louis Chan
AsAmNews National Correspondent
For Oregon State Beaver outfielder Steven Kwan, ignorance is bliss.
The fifth round draft choice of Cleveland has dreamed a long time of turning pro.
“I first realized I had the potential to turn professional when I was 5 and wanted to become a major league baseball player,” Kwan told AsAmNews. “With my ignorant young mind believing I could try hard and achieve anything I wanted, I truly thought I could achieve my goal. It has now changed from ignorance to confidence.”
Kwan grew up in Fremont, California where he starred for Washington High and drew the attention of such Major League teams as the Boston Red Sox. Rather than turn pro right away, he decided to accept an offer to join the Beavers baseball team while pursuing a college degree in business.
His road to success in college started with a few pot holes. He batted only .215 his first year while appearing in just 35 games. He quickly turned that around, however, and his batting average surged to .331 his sophomore season and he helped his team make it to the College World Series. He’s backed that up this season, raising his batting average to .357. The Beavers this weekend advanced to their second straight College World Series appearance. Last season, he was also was awarded a Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention.
“I’ve never stopped believing in myself and I hope to carry that passion and confidence all the way to the major leagues,” Kwan said.
His mother Jane says her son’s passion for baseball has been laser focused.
“Steven only liked one sport-baseball,” she said to AsAmNews. “We put him in swimming for safety and that was a bear. He did not like to watch baseball as much, but preferred to be playing it. He never complained about traveling to long road games and missing birthday parties. He did not mind devoting his weekends to only baseball.”
Kwan was named Pac-12 Player of the week on April 30
Last week, it all came together when he received the call from Cleveland.
“At first I was shocked,” he said. I knew I would be called some point in the second day(of the draft), but not as early as I was. It still really hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”
For now his mind is set on taking the College World Series title. Eventually, like every minor leaguer before him, he hopes to one day be called up to the big stage. If it happens, he’ll join a small number of Asian Americans in the Major Leagues including Filipino American Addison Russell of the Chicago Cubs, Japanese American and Hawaiian-native Kirk Suzuki of the Atlanta Braves and Chinese American and Hawaiian-native Kolten Wong of the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I feel immense pride that I represent a small percentage of athletes,” he said. “I am making the most of the opportunity that my grandparents gave me when taking the risk of coming to America,” he said. “With consistent improvement, I hope to achieve my true dream of joining the major league club.”
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