Zion Rose had something to prove. At least to himself.

As a sophomore in his high school debut, Rose hit .389 last spring for Brother Rice. While most would consider that a respectable number, he summed up his feelings about it bluntly.

“Last year,” Rose said, “I was trash at baseball.”

Needless to say, the Louisville recruit holds himself to a high standard.

Rose went to work on putting himself in position for a huge junior year.

“For the average person, that’s good,” Rose said of his 2021 totals. “But for the level of baseball that I’m trying to play at, that’s not acceptable.

“Every year, I learn something new. The things I’ve changed since last year, there’s too much to even list because I’m getting better every day. I never want to stay static.”

A 6-foot-1, 210-pound catcher, Rose put together a monster season this spring for the Crusaders, who finished third in the state in Class 4A.

Rose, the 2022 Daily Southtown Baseball Player of the Year, hit .496 with 58 runs, 31 stolen bases, four homers and 39 RBIs.

Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Rose sparked the offense for Brother Rice (36-6) all season long, according to senior teammate Will Flanigan.

“Zion, 90% of the time, is going to be on base,” Flanigan said. “So, when I come up, I know I’ll have chances to drive in runs.”

Rose broke the program record for runs, a feat that’s more impressive considering he’s a catcher who is more than occasionally lifted for a courtesy runner.

“It’s crazy because sometimes we give him a rest and let him get ready to catch,” Brother Rice coach Sean McBride said. “So, he scored 58 runs, but he was probably responsible for another 10 or so when he got replaced by a courtesy runner.

“That’s almost two runs a game he generated.”

The Crusaders’ recipe for success was simple. When Rose and No. 2 hitter Jack Lausch did their thing in the first inning, the pressure was immediately on the opponent.

“That was the plan most of the season,” Rose said. “Me getting on base, getting to second, Jack Lausch comes through with a knock and gets me in.

“When it’s 1-0 that early in the game, you get the other team thinking, ‘Man, these dudes are really it.’ ”

Rose was a multisport athlete until high school, and baseball was not always his main passion.

“Growing up, I played football, baseball, basketball and soccer,” he said. “I dropped soccer because it was the same time as football. I dropped basketball because I ended up being horrible one year.

“Football was actually my main sport for a very long time. I loved it.”

Rose started receiving major baseball scholarship offers as an eighth grader. He decided to make baseball his focus, committing to Louisville as a freshman.

“We looked at the risk and rewards of baseball compared to football and it was a family decision to go the baseball route,” Rose said. “I’m glad we decided that. At the moment, I wasn’t, but it’s paying off now.

“With football, going to the games and watching Jack Lausch and all the other guys from the student section, I still feel like I’m in the game.”

Rose is a workaholic when it comes to baseball. He’s always getting in extra practice with his brother Cyress, who is a decade older.

“My whole life, he’s been pushing me in sports,” Rose said of Cyress. “I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”

With a season left and a state championship goal to work toward, don’t expect Rose to rest on his laurels.

Not with his standards.

“Even this year, I should have easily hit over .500,” Rose said. “Next year, I want to look back at this year and be like, ‘Last year was trash.’

“Because the goal is to be better.”