Chase D'Arnaud Q&A with PhoulBallz.com

Yesterday, PhoulBallz.com featured an article about the D'Arnaud brothers, Chase and Travis. Much of that took a look at the sibling rivalry from Chase's point of view. You can read that post by clicking here.

Chase D'Arnaud is a short stop prospect in the Pirates system, currently playing for the Double-A level Altoona Curve. Chase had more to say on his season and professional career to date. Some of that action lies ahead.

You've really cranked things up and turned it on here in June (.329 avg. this month, after batting .209 through April & May). What improvements have you made and/or what do you attribute to getting things turned around this month?

Well, coming out this season, in the very beginning, I didn't really feel my swing out and I saw some footage a couple weeks ago from my Arizona Fall League at bats, when out hitting coordinator came into town, and it seemed to really help me out a lot. Right now I just feel really balanced and I feel like my swing compliments my approach right now. Which is very important...where as before I had the right approach, but my swing just wasn't complimenting. Now I feel like I am working the count and getting the ball to the right-center gap, like I should be.

At the tail end of spring training, you got to play at Citizens Bank Park when the Pirates visited Philadelphia for the Phillies' annual On-deck Series. What was that like for you to get that opportunity to play in a Major League Park with and against big league players?

It was amazing. I remember the first inning, I was out there, my heart was beating hard and everything was really loud. That's a park that's really built upward and you feel like you're in a Tic Tac box and everyone's just right on top of you. It was an amazing feeling and it was definitely a mile stone for me, playing with big leaguers in the park that day.

Was that something you will always remember and kind of cherish?

Yeah, definitely. Hopefully, I have many more of those kinds of games ahead in the regular season.

The MLB amateur draft just passed. Just a couple years back, you were in the mix with all of that action. What was your draft experience like back in 2008?

I was at home. I took the day off and stayed home...every round that went by I kept biting my lip, 'cause I was getting real anxious. And then I got the call from the Pirates in the fourth round and I was so excited. I worked hard to where I was at that point and getting drafted was the first step to getting the bigs. Right now, I'm in Double-A and I am still striving hard to get there and I am working hard every day.

What do you think is the best thing about the Pirates system, or something that people might be surprised to learn about the Pirates system?

Not too long ago the Pirates kind of flushed out their system and hired a whole new (coaching) staff. I really enjoy working with our staff and all our coordinators. They're all very knowledgable and still students of the game. I'll sit next to them during a game and they'll talk to me and I learn a lot of stuff from those guys. It's important to the program.

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