Jun 20, 2025
Flashback Friday: Derek started his college baseball journey as a Freshman pitcher at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), initially majoring in Theatre before eventually changing his focus to Psychology. Throughout his Freshman year on the baseball team, he took part in many auditions (like American Idol - Season 9) and showcased his talents on various stages such as a singing competition, which resulted in him securing an agent and realizing that singing and acting were his true calling. In his Junior year, he chose to pause his studies at UCLA to move to New York City, where he made his off-Broadway debut in the musical 'Carrie,' portraying the character of Tommy Ross.
