The Somerset Patriots are glad that he didn't.

Amin, 23, was hired last month as the team's new play-by-play radio voice for WCTC 1450 AM.

The big break came 15 years after he "broke into the business" by delivering a "Chicago Sports Report" segment to his mostly uninterested third-grade classmates in Addison, Ill.

"For three minutes once a week, I had blank eight-year-old faces staring at me," Amin said, "But that's one of those moments where I realized that I love talking about sports."

As the size of Amin's audience grew, so did praise for his work.

Already a veteran of more than 600 play-by-play broadcasts, the Valparaiso University graduate was named a Sportscasting All-American by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America as a senior in 2009.

"Across the board, our ownership, players and staff liked his voice and his delivery," Patriots president and general manager Patrick McVerry said. "We were looking for someone who paints a picture and has a nice smooth voice that you enjoy listening to. All of our finalists were different in their own way and we liked them all, but Adam sounded like more of what we were looking for. I believe he has a major-league voice."

Amin spent the past two baseball seasons honing his style as a radio broadcaster and host of a pregame show for the independent Northern League's Gary SouthShore RailCats. He also spent four years as the lead voice for the NCAA Horizon League Network's television baseball coverage.

"I'd like to say it's easy to sit back and enjoy my broadcast," said Amin, who listed national voices Dan Shulman, Mike Tirico and Kevin Harlan, as well as Chicago Cubs radio broadcaster Pat Hughes, among his biggest influences.

"I have the ability to be laid back and conversational and friendly at the same time. But when there's a big play, I have the ability to become very excitable on the air, too."

Excited is precisely how Amin felt after finding the Patriots' broadcaster opening posted on the Internet. Brian Bender resigned in January after six seasons to spend more time with his family.

"I've been lucky because everywhere I've gone, I've been part of good organizations," Amin said. "I like to think I have eye for those types of places but you don't really need an eye for Somerset. It's very easy to see why someone would want to be there."

Even for someone who had never been to New Jersey prior to arriving midway through spring training.

"It didn't take a ton for me to convince myself to head out here," Amin said. "It feels like somewhere I could really enjoy my work and make a difference with an organization that cares."

Amin's preparation for his rookie season began before his long car ride, however.

An avid reader, he researched the Patriots, manager Sparky Lyle and the league.

"I take a lot of pride in being prepared," he said. "One thing I take seriously is knowing what I'm talking about and having something legitimate to say. I consider myself as much of a student as a fan of the game."

That quality made a lasting impression on his employers.

"He really knows his stuff and he's really excited about this opportunity," McVerry said. "Brian's shoes are big shoes to fill but I think he's going to do a very good job."

Amin hopes to prove the same to his new listening base over the course of the 140-game season.

"Nothing is a bigger challenge than a full season by yourself in a baseballbooth," he said, "because credibility and likability become very important when you're spending that much time behind a microphone with the fans of a team who are listening to every broadcast. It's my first true test but I'm looking forward to it."