South Bend native Jayce Lee has always dreamed of being a professional baseball player.

Success in athletics—whether in baseball or basketball—had always come naturally to Lee during his time at Saint Joseph High School. But after a freshman season at Notre Dame in which he hit just .208, that dream of playing professionally was starting to get a little fuzzy.

The season challenged and humbled Lee, but he learned from it. His growth continued during the summer of 2025, when he played in Kalamazoo and began to regain the confidence that had defined much of his baseball life.

He also leaned heavily on his faith.

“I kind of found that internal confidence,” Lee told Sports Michiana. “And I think that in my faith life, I was the strongest in my faith at that point. Every time I stepped on the field, I felt as if God was flowing through me.”

That mindset helped Lee return to Notre Dame with a renewed belief in himself, setting the stage for a breakout sophomore season in which he hit .327 with 13 home runs and 46 RBI.

Lee sat down with Angelo Di Carlo on Notre Dame Federal Credit Union’s Irish Football Fix for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, family, baseball and even some basketball.

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Jayce’s faith has remained an important part of his journey. Lee says his family taught him from an early age to put God first and turn to his faith during difficult times.

“They’ve always taught me to keep God first in my life and to always look to God in times of uncertainty, in times of turmoil,” Lee said. “That’s just kind of how I’ve lived my life, and especially throughout my time here at Notre Dame and playing a sport like baseball, it’s a lot of ups and downs. Keeping faith at the forefront of my life has definitely been able to even out my head.”

Lee also credits his family and his relationship with the Notre Dame coaching staff for helping keep him in South Bend during an era of college athletics defined by the transfer portal and NIL opportunities.

Now entering his junior season, Lee has his sights set on taking another step toward the dream he has had since he was a kid.

“I think it would be a good story for an inner-city guy to get drafted out of a place like Notre Dame,” Lee said.

For Lee, that dream is no longer just something to talk about someday. It could become a reality as soon as next summer.

In our interview, Jayce also explains how Saint Joe prepared him for life at Notre Dame and answers a very important question: What’s a better feeling—a home run or a slam dunk?

Our Focus on Faith interviews are presented by Vince and Pat Turner.