Cancer, prosthetic leg, same baseball dream: The Jose Quiroz Story

It’s been a tough road from an early age for Palm Springs Collegiate League pitcher Jose Quiroz. Not only is he battling players from all over the country in hopes of someday making the major leagues, he has had to battle his own body. Cody Krupp has his story.

It doesn’t take long to notice Jose Quiroz on the baseball field.

“Never seen anything quite like it,” California Grizzly Manager Chance Sharp said.

Not only is he throwing strikes but he is doing this all on prosthetic leg because early on everything changed.

“6-years-old I got cancer, had sacoma in the bones. From there I was in the hospital for a year,” Jose Quiroz said.

The fight would continue for three more years.

“I basically lived in the hospital for three years, it came back to my chest. From there on I just have been working on playing baseball and working hard,” Quiroz said.

12 years later he is still cancer free and living care free, despite not knowing what can be.

“They told me it might come back cause it came back twice already so thank god everything came perfectly,” Quiroz said.

Now Quiroz at 20-years-old is known to be the only NCAA college baseball player with a prosthetic leg. He first played for Dean College and now he is going to South Dakota to play for Mount Marty.

“It changed my whole life style no doubt. I built confidence, I worked hard for where I am at right now. My family I thank them for supporting me,” Quiroz said.

“He can compete with anybody. As long as he can continue to throw strikes and be effective on the mound, anywhere can take a good pitcher,” Sharp said.

There is always one advantage.

“I sit in front most of the time, I get shot gun.” Quiroz said.