Exclusive Interview from Spring Training: Corbin Carroll Talks with the Leo 

Just four years ago, Corbin Carroll walked the halls at the Upper School and played on the Lakeside varsity Baseball Team. Today, he’s coming off one of the best rookie years of any Major League Baseball player. Playing right field for the Arizona Diamondbacks, he was named the 2023 Rookie of the Year last October. He took a few minutes before a recent Spring Training game in Arizona to tell me about his road to success.  

As he enters year two as a Major-Leaguer, Carroll carries on the same work ethic he honed while at Lakeside. After our interview at Salt River Fields in Arizona, he was the first player to take the field at warmups. He never stops working hard. 

When asked about his work ethic, Carroll replied, “I think the part of the game that's very process-oriented and learning-oriented, you know, I think Lakeside does a great job of fostering that growth mindset. I've always tried to operate and continue to try and operate to this day through that lens, always wanting to push for more.” 

He also had a lot to share about his time at Lakeside. When we asked him about the most powerful lesson he learned from Lakeside Varsity Coach Kellen Sundin, he said, “I would just say that he was such a great resource because of how willing he was to go above and beyond for us to make sure that we were ready to go and be our best out there. And that's a relationship and kind of dynamic that's continued. That work ethic is just inspiring and makes me want to work that much harder.” 

Many students at Lakeside Middle School now play baseball competitively. We are at the age when students join a select baseball team. For Carroll, who grew up in Queen Anne playing Little League, this is very personal. When asked about his advice for Little League players who are starting to get more serious about baseball, he told me, “I'd say just take it a step at a time.” First, he said, make sure that you love the game and that it’s truly what you want to do. 

“For me, it was, when I got to Lakeside, I want to play on the varsity team as a freshman. And [then] it was, you know, ‘I want to play college ball,’” he said. “And then it was, ‘I want to play when I get to college," and then it was, you know, ‘maybe professional could be an opportunity.’” For Carroll, it means setting appropriate goals at each step of the way. 

After Carroll's time at Lakeside, he decided to pursue his dreams of playing Major League Baseball. He was picked 16th overall in the 2019 MLB draft. After an interesting couple of seasons in Minor League Baseball, he made it up to the Diamondbacks in 2023, where he still plays today. In his rookie season, he had 565 at-bats, 161 hits, and 25 home runs. The team made the World Series, where his appearance in nationally streamed games, watched by millions of fans, put him in the spotlight. The Diamondbacks ended up falling short to the Texas Rangers, but Corbin played really well for his first championship series in Major League Baseball.

Some of Carroll’s favorite moments at the World Series included taking batting practice with 500 excited fans, players, and former stars on the field. In addition, meeting his childhood hero, former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, was an incredible experience for the young rookie. 

Carroll’s first season was one he will never forget. We now must wait to see how far the Diamondbacks will go this season. As Carroll reflected on his experience making it to the MLB, he told me that he tries not to think in terms of results but rather the process of getting there. “Just focusing on my process and the day-to-day little things, staying very present will allow good things to happen,” he said. “And of course, focusing on results.”