Over the course of his high school career at the Columbus Academy in Columbus, Ohio, Darren Bates made important contributions to the varsity football and baseball teams. He accomplished much on the football field, lettering three years and serving as team captain in his senior year. However, Darren Bates excelled even more as a baseball player, making Second Team All League during his sophomore year, both Second Team All League and Second Team All District during his junior year, and both First Team All League and Second Team All District during his senior year. In addition to his achievements on the Columbus Academy baseball team, he played two consecutive summers with Old World Baseball as part of the organization’s European Tour, competing in France, Spain, and the Netherlands.

He is currently enrolled at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where he has committed to play baseball for the school. He expects to graduate from Brandeis in 2021.