There isn’t much that shortstop Rafael “Junior” Villalobos hasn’t experienced as a four-year varsity starter for Zion-Benton.
Reflection will have to wait, however, because Villalobos is focused on making his senior season, both for him and for the Zee-Bees, a memorable one.
“I’ve been here for so long, I get called ‘old man’ a lot,” he said. “I definitely do think about it coming to an end. But at the same time, I want to enjoy being around the team and taking it day by day.”
There have been a lot of days since Villalobos burst onto the scene as a freshman. He still vividly remembers his debut at Highland Park. He led off the game with a line drive to right for a single.
“It’s funny,” Villalobos said. “We played them a couple of weeks ago, and I did the exact same thing in my first at-bat. Things can really come full circle.”
Other opponents learned about Villalobos soon enough. But people within Zion-Benton’s program already knew. In fact, Villalobos made such an impression even before his 2021 debut that then-senior Jake Oatsvall essentially ceded his position at shortstop and opted to move to center field.
“You could see how smooth he was fielding the ball, and he had a quiet confidence, even at that age,” Zion-Benton coach Tim Schiappacasse said of Villalobos. “He still has a calm demeanor, and the team has taken on his persona. He’s our unquestioned leader.”
Villalobos is tested in that role in different ways. Schiappacasse recalls a situation this season when a player was not happy about a particular drill. Schiappacasse saw the player’s displeasure and asked whether he needed to get involved. The answer from Villalobos was a resounding “no.”
“I knew I had to take action,” Villalobos said. “The coaches have a lot going on, and nobody else would want to deal with that. I helped him look at the situation from a different perspective.
“I know my teammates look up to me, and the coaches trust me in those situations.”
That trust permeates the Zion-Benton dugout.
“He was a role model for me right away, helping lead me through new drills,” Zion-Benton junior AJ Neargarder said. “He has the ability to have fun and be a leader. When the time comes, he locks in and gets the team locked in.”
That’s certainly how Villalobos performs between the lines. He led the team in batting average as a freshman. He had a good start this season, hitting .318 with five RBIs from the No. 3 hole in the first six games for the Zee-Bees (2-6, 0-2).
“I like to see myself as someone who can bring people home and do whatever I need to do to get on base,” he said.
Villalobos is also one of the Zee-Bees’ top pitchers. He has made only one appearance this season, allowing three earned runs while throwing 93 pitches in a mid-March loss to Wheeling.
But Villalobos made an impact on the mound last year, when almost all of his outings were in games against North Suburban Conference opponents. He struck out 30 in 22 1/3 innings.
“I try to get guys out by being efficient, but increasing how hard I throw would definitely help, especially in the long term,” he said. “It’s hard to be a great offensive and defensive player, but I try to keep pushing.”
Villalobos pushed through an injury last season. During the summer after his sophomore year, he suffered a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. He avoided surgery, but the monthslong rehabilitation process extended into spring. Villalobos was on a pitch count once he returned to the mound.
“It took a toll on me,” he said. “I was upset that it happened, and I thought I’d never be able to play like I used to.”
A year later, Villalobos doesn’t have to worry about that anymore.
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
