I played AAU basketball with Rocco in Rhode Island growing up (he was a year older than me). I didn’t know him exceptionally well, but I know he was universally liked and thought of as a great kid. It is very hard not to feel terrible for him for how his promising career just dissipated. He was labeled early on as a potential superstar.

Rhode Islanders seem cursed, as in addition to Rocco, the latest top prospect to come out of the Ocean State has also had his career derailed by a rare medical problem. Ryan Westmoreland was the #1 prospect in the Red Sox organization before he was diagnosed with a cavernous malformation on his brain stem during last year’s spring training. He had it operated on, which saved his life, but he is still trying to restart his baseball career, but there is a real chance that it never happens for him.

Two sad stories, but I’m glad to see Rocco making the most of his situation. Hopefully things will work out as well for Ryan, wherever his life takes him.