University of Arizona Athletics

High School
Attended Oakmont High School in California and lettered three years in baseball under the direction of head coach Paul Martinez…Finished prep career ranked as the No. 12 first baseman in the nation and the No. 2 first baseman in California by Perfect Game…Selected as a team captain of his high school team as a senior; co-captain as a junior…Honored as the Oakmont HS team MVP during senior year…Three-time All-District honoree, two-time All-City selection, two-time All-Section pick, and All-State player as a senior…Saw time in 117 varsity games and posted a .393 career batting average with 67 runs scored, 33 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, and 79 RBI…Posted a career-best year as a senior, hitting .404 with 24 runs, 12 doubles, seven home runs, and 31 RBI…Career .970 fielding percentage on 533 total chances during prep career…Named the Sacramento Bee Player of the Year in 2024…Participated in the 2022 Area Code Underclass Games with the Athletics…Also excelled in the classroom, posting a 4.0 GPA as a senior, earning Academic Excellence recognitions for maintaining a 3.71 GPA, and picking up an Honor Merit Award.
 
Personal
Anthony Lorenzo Lira…Son of Robert Mendoza and Alexandra Lira…Two brothers, Nicholas and Julian, and one sister, Annabell…Majoring in Business Management...Hobbies include basketball and playing video games…Born with a hearing disability, having approximately 10% hearing in one ear and 20% in the other; by age 10 had undergone five ear surgeries and gained about 80-90% hearing…“I like to be an example for other kids going through learning disabilities or issues, to always keep pushing and work toward their goals. I never quit on myself, and I had a good group of people who never quit on me. That’s all you need to succeed.”…Chose Arizona because, “They were always one of my top choices since I was a young kid. When I found out the coaching staff was new and handpicking the 2024 class, and they had chosen me, I felt like it was home.”