Mission Prep middle infielder Thomas Glenn has already made his commitment to play baseball at Cal once he graduates in 2026.
Only 5.6 percent of high school baseball seniors end up playing at the Division I level in college baseball.
The 14-year-old said that many players have been surprised by how quickly he made his commitment.
"I was just walking in the hallways and they're like, wow, I didn't know you could even commit as a freshman," said Thomas Glenn.
Thomas Glenn is a Paso Robles resident that commutes to San Luis Obispo.
Glenn is only a freshman.
"I can just worry about going to baseball and then just going home and doing my homework and not having to check my phone, make sure I'm getting answering emails from coaches," said Thomas Glenn.
His father, Jason Glenn, said the family of USC fans is proud to call Cal the future home of his son.
"It started just in the backyard of Paso Robles and has kind of grown into the national scene for him," said Jason Glenn. "He plays on a national team. They go all over and see some of the best competition."
Thomas Glenn spends much of his time outside of school training with M.M. Elite in San Luis Obispo.
"For Thomas Glenn to get this opportunity at 14, it blows me away," said M.M. Elite Owner Mike Murphy. "He's got a long way to go. He's got to earn it and he's got to put his time in during high school."
The opportunity at Cal was one that Thomas Glenn was not planning on passing up.
"I really like the coaching staff there and the environment," said Thomas Glenn. "When I went up there and saw how the team chemistry was, it just really brought it home for me. My coach, Noah Jackson, who recruited me, was the one that sealed the deal for me. I really liked how they ran practice, and the campus is just amazing."
Glenn says the decision was not difficult despite his age and the unknown that the future holds.
"It wasn't weird for me, but I feel like it was weird for other people that they see that I committed at such a young age," said Thomas Glenn. "In the baseball community, there have been a few kids who committed this early."
"His game has always been good," said Murphy. "When you saw him at seven, you knew there was something different. His body looks like a 20-year-old who was in the weight room for the last four years."
Glenn projects to play middle infield in high school and throughout his baseball career.
"He's a plus defender at shortstop, so I know he'll play good defense in college," said Murphy. "He's got all the ability on offense."
Thomas and Jason Glenn credit much of the success to Murphy, who serves as a coach for Thomas.
"I couldn't have done it without Mike," said Thomas Glenn. "He's really been there, and he changed my swing when it needs to be changed. If you look at my swing from last year and now, it's so much better and more fluid."
"I work a lot on the road, so I'm gone a lot, which we entrust Mike and his program to help fill my shoes," said Jason Glenn.
The program Murphy runs in San Luis Obispo has helped shape the future for Thomas Glenn, as well as other baseball players that have found success at higher levels.
"Guys like Dylan Beavers, Cooper Benson, Ryan Tayman, Justin Trimble, and guys that he's worked with showed him the way," said Murphy.
The Cal Bear blood runs deep in the Mike Murphy Elite family.
Ryan Tayman is set to play at Cal after wrapping up his senior year at Arroyo Grande.
Dylan Beavers followed his time at Cal by getting drafted 33rd overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2022 MLB Draft.
Thomas Glenn said he had been informed on how the program at Cal functioned thanks to insight by Beavers.
"He told me how it would be, and he told me that it's a really good school," said Thomas Glenn. "It's like a small family."
Glenn will continue to work with Murphy as he eyes playing baseball at the highest level as Beavers is.
"That would be a dream come true if I could follow in those footsteps," said Thomas Glenn. "I've been dreaming about that since I was really young."
The 14-year-old still has three years remaining in his high school career and says he is hoping to maximize his time at Mission Prep.
"My main goal right now is just working on being a better person and being getting better at baseball and all the sports I can do, like football," said Glenn.
