No one can ever call Mike Piazza a quitter. Despite being the 1,389th player taken in the 1988 major league draft, Piazza, who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has become the best catcher in major league baseball through hard work and determination. Although scouts said he would never make it after his high school career ended, Piazza kept working and proved all the experts wrong. The 1993 National League (NL) Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in each of his five major league seasons, Piazza continues to work hard to improve. Now he has just one goal: to be one of the best catchers in major league history.

Growing up

Learns value of hard work

Michael Joseph Piazza was born September 4, 1968, in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Piazza grew up in Schuylkill Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. His father, Vince, dropped out of high school at age 16 to help support...