The 18-year-old righty batter sports a .500 average with three doubles, a triple, a home run and eight RBI through 15 games played with the Phils' West team in the rookie level GCL.
In quotes that didn't make the article, the 23rd round draft selection from this year shared insight on guidance from his pitching coach Matt Hockenberry, already knowing some Phillies farm hands before signing with the organization and more. Read ahead for those excerpts.
-On the topic of what coach Matt Hockenberry has helped him with...
It hasn’t been really anything specific to be honest with you. It’s just been sequencing different hitters as far as with pitches and just controlling the game behind the plate. Just overall I can tell he’s helped me a lot and I mean still there’s a whole lot of room for improvement. I’ve been here for a month, but I’ve probably learned more from him than I did in a long time back in New York.
-He offered thoughts on how he thinks amateur ball prepared him for the minor leagues...
My high school coaches were really big with helping me and setting me up to not be too overwhelmed down here. My head coach’s name was Casey McKay and his dad was the assistance coach, Ronnie McKay. And then Ronnie was actually a coach in the White Sox organization a couple years back, so he had first-hand experience at what it was like. Just mentally prepare myself. I knew it was all going to be new, but just getting ready for what it would be like- I think those two guys helped me most back in amateur baseball. As far as baseball itself, they obviously taught me a lot too, but with how pure the game was it was something that I never took for granted.
-Speaking on if he knew what to expect with the Phillies organization...
I
had an idea because of Kyle Young and Nick Fanti, the guys from Long
Island that got drafted in years past, so I had an idea from talking to
them and seeing what it was about but I was going into it with an open
mind. I had a little
bit of an idea of what to expect…but I’ve been pleasantly surprised
with how everything down here. It’s so well run and we’re so well taken
care of.
-On if the Phillies drafting him was a surprise...
I
knew after day two of the draft maybe we had a shot with the Phillies.
It was between the Phillies and one other team, so I did have an idea.
Looking back, I’m so happy it was.
-Sharing thoughts on the support he gets from friends and family...
I’m really blessed to have the support back home. My parents are my two biggest supporters. Everyone else too. Family and friends and cousins...it’s been a little overwhelming to see just how much they’ve been there. I knew they were going to be supportive and I knew I was going to miss them, but I didn’t think it would be as much as it is. I’m kind of interested to go home to see what it is like, because I miss them a lot and just to see their reactions to how things go, it’s going to be fun to see and I’m looking forward to it.
-On adjusting to life so far from home and being independent...
I told my parents that I haven’t been too homesick down here. I just love the whole—everything about it. Being an adult down here, being on your own and making sure that you get everything done yourself is what I'm enjoying the most down here, I think.
Comments