My younger son lived for baseball. Dropped the backpack outside at the end of the school day and hit both ways on the "hit-a-way". Started working out in a sports specific program in 8th grade, probably because he saw other successful baseball players doing that and he wanted to be one of them (and that's about the time I joined this site). Played travel ball from age 10-17 then played for the free American Legion team after his senior year before college. Didn't make V as a 9th grader, but got called up at the end of that season. Committed early before junior HS year to the only college that offered. He started at his mid-D1 college and played every game but the 2 when he had a 104 temperature. Drafted in the 5th round, and played for 5 years (plus the MiLB-less Covid year) before being released.
My older son.....6'5".... had the desire, but not the talent as his younger brother. Went to sign up on the "baseball interest list" for our baseball-rich high school and he said he saw 20 players better than him so he never signed up. Wound up being the stat guy on the V bench for 4 years of HS, the stat guy for V and JV basketball for 4 years, and (a slightly paying job as) the basketball manager at an ACC college. Currently plays on his engineering firm's co-ed softball team (the desire is still there).
Lesson: play as much as you can for as long as you can, but there are other ways to be part of a team. You are on the team....hang in there and work hard.
"Baseball is hard - otherwise everyone would do it."
"The only thing fair in life is between 1st and 3rd."
"Everyone hangs up the cleats one day"