Grayson County (Texas) College’s J.D. Alfaro is the type of player every team wants.

The one who comes to play game in and game out and earns the respect of his teammates even when they are away from the fans.

On the practice field.

“The thing about J.D., is he is the best practice player on our team,” Grayson coach Dusty Hart said. “He likes to put on a show, even at practice. He will be diving and trying make great plays and you just don’t see too many guys do that. The guy just loves playing baseball.”

Alfaro has been just as much of a performer during this year’s Alpine Bank Junior College World Series — so much so that he earned the Preston Walker Memorial Most Valuable Player Award during Friday night’s championship game.

For the tournament, Alfaro hit .476 and had 14 RBI.

“I am still speechless, I am so excited I really don’t know what to do,” Alfaro said. “I never would have imaged we would make it this far, but good things happen to good people.”

As solid as Alfaro was at the plate, he probably earned his reward in the field. He committed no errors in this year’s tournament and had 15 assists and five putouts

“Alfaro is a plus defender at shortstop and he just makes good plays,” Hart said. “He wants the ball and he wants to be the guy to make the play.”

Alfaro says he wants to make his name with defense.

“I go out there every day and work my hardest on defense,” Alfaro said. “If I happen to go 0 for 4, I have to make sure I have no errors.”

Not too bad for someone that missed his senior year of high school baseball. An eligibility issue caused by transferring between high schools within a district left Alfaro sitting on the sidelines.

“That is demoralizing for a 17-year-old kid,” Hart said. “He is a heck of player and he has gone through a lot of adversity. A lot of guys would have given up the game after something like, that but I am glad he didn’t.”

Unable to play in high school, Alfaro spent one day at a Grayson practice just to get out and play.

Hart said he was impressed by the high school senior even then.

“He came out to practice with us because he was just sitting at home and I was like ‘Gosh, he is better than the shortstop we had and he was 17,’ ” Hart said.

Although Alfaro did impress Hart that day, it was a call from the shortstop’s older brother, Jason, that help land Alfaro at Grayson.

Jason Alfaro is currently in Class AAA with the Mets organization and played against Hart in junior college while Alfaro was at Hill College and Hart was a player with Grayson.

“I had a lot of respect for his brother, and Jason was one of the best players I ever played against,” Hart said. “Jason called me and said ‘You have to sign my little brother because he is not playing anywhere and he is good.’ Basically he told me J.D. was better than he was at that age. I didn’t hesitate, I said ‘Give me his number.’ ”

After finally arriving at Grayson, it took a while for Alfaro to become reacquainted with the competition mind frame.

“I would play summer ball but it is weird the difference between playing for something and just playing for fun,” Alfaro said. “I came to Grayson knowing the goal every year was a national championship.”

And Alfaro has gone from knowing it to exemplifying it. Hart said during this past season Alfaro has developed into a bona fide team leader.

“He is a well-rounded baseball player and more than anything he has matured into a leader and that is what I am most proud of him for,” Hart said. “The guys respect him, they listen to him and he brings his ‘A’ game every day.”

The good news for scouts and four-year school is the versatile shortstop had yet to sign with a four year school. Alfaro said he has been in talks with Lubbock Christian University.

Knowing that, Alfaro hopes the exposure of the World Series will help land him a spot somewhere.

“You get so much more exposure here,” Alfaro said. “A lot of people, a lot of scouts a lot of fans that hear your name and can get it out there which is a good deal.”

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E-mail Patrick Bahr at pbahr@gjds.com.