K-State Baseball Hosts Media Day
Feb 04, 2019 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State head baseball coach Pete Hughes along with juniors Will Brennan, Kasey Ford and Cameron Thompson met with members of the media Monday at Bramlage Coliseum as part of the Wildcats' media day prior to the upcoming 2019 baseball season.
K-State officially begins its 2019 season on February 15 with a four-game series at CSUN. Hughes enters his first season at the helm of the Wildcats and his 22nd as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 652-492-3.
Select comments from the press conference are posted below (also streamed live and archived here).
PETE HUGHES, K-STATE HEAD COACH
Opening statement…
"It is always an exciting time of the year. Knowing when that start of the season is it is not atypical to Major League Baseball. We get going before spring training when pitchers and catchers even go. We have been at it for a while and it is exciting especially with a new program and change in the coaching staff and a lot of personnel in our clubhouse to get going and play against some different programs and watch our guys compete. Everything has been great. I could not be more excited with our guys in their approach and their attention to detail. They are guys that really care about seeing how good they can get in sport a sport they love. Being around that every day is awesome. Many get caught up in the process and I tell them don't be result oriented. I am the only one in a result-oriented business and that is the way we go about our business. Our guys have been meticulous in their preparation and the enthusiasm level is great. These are the guys you want to go into competition with. The weather has cooperated which is a built-in excuse around here in the baseball program at Kansas State that we will not cave into ever. We are going to go outside. It is going to be our edge and where we feel comfortable playing and preparing. We really lucked out the last three days and took advantage of that. Our guys are right where I thought they would be. It is something that you really look forward to going out and then when the comes come you see what kind of competitive people you have in your dugout and in your clubhouse. I think it bodes well for what I have seen and how I have evaluated so far."
On junior outfielder/pitcher Will Brennan…
"Will (Brennan) will have a major role in our program from a pitching standpoint. I have coached against and coached Will now and he is one of the most talented players in the country. We need to maximize his ability here and we will do that. If we are to open up next weekend Will will play center field and hit lead off for us on Friday, do the same on Saturday and then start on the mound on Sunday. It is my job to be careful with him and protect the welfare of Will and his career and minimize his throws. We will always fare on the side of Will's career and welfare, but Will is also very unselfish, and he will do anything for Kansas State baseball and to win games."
On inheriting players…
"We inherited 26 players when I got the job. I knew a lot of them and I did my background on a lot of them. A lot of it is numbers, video and scouting reports. You really never know who they are until you get into the substance of practice to watch these guys compete, scrimmage, prepare and go about their business in the weight room as well as socially and academically. It all goes into those and I locked into that and could not be any happier. Our guys are well rounded and motivated. It is our job to get them on the baseball field to make jumps as baseball players, show them our structure expectation levels and goals to make sure it is on the same page as theirs. A lot of these guys haven't been told they are good baseball players in a long time, and I have done that because they are. They want to see results and I want to see results. Their preparation is on, they care about it, their skillset is good enough and they just have to learn how to win a little bit too. I have been more than happy with the guys I have inherited as far as people and approach. They love the game and are certainly guys I enjoy being around on a daily basis."
On juniors Will Brennan, Kasey Ford and Cameron Thompson …
"I try not to put too much of those guys. It seems like Cameron, Kasey and Will are the trio spokespeople for the program. There is enough going on being a student athlete these days. We just talked about Will being a two-way guy for us. I do not want those guys being the bridge that gapped two coaching staffs for us. I just want those guys to be student athletes, college baseball players and love everything which that entails. I just enjoy being around them. I would much rather coach them than coach against them. I have done that and it has been much better on this side. These guys are really productive and good players. They want to listen and learn at a high level which usually does not go hand in hand at when you are the faces of a program. It is rare and unique that they still want to listen and their need to get better is as good as their talent. When your best players are your best workers and do the right thing socially while understanding the academic component it helps me try to change the culture."
On junior pitcher Kasey Ford…
"Kasey is a guy that you have to get on the mound because he has pitched a lot. He gave me fits in the opposite dugout as a freshman and I said wow that kid is going to be really good. To be good in this league you have to have the talent number one but the guys who have the database with the experience and the innings those guys are going to be really good. That is where he is now. He has a lot of experience in this league and that is where he is at now. We're going to throw a lot of stuff on his shoulders and they are big enough to handle a lot. He loves to compete and he will be good for our younger guys when we expand their roles to see how they go about their business, especially in the Big 12 and how to prepare. He is going to be right in the thick of things this year. We are going to need him that is for sure."
On transitioning to Kansas State…
"The transition has been as smooth possibly as you can make it. Especially in a community like this. It is an ideal college community that has open arms. When you have people coming all over the country like we have, from the west coast and Austin Wates is coming from pro ball, Ryan Connolly our director of operations is coming from Virginia Tech. We came from all over but there is a couple things in common. We all have the value system is through the roof we all want best for the student athlete and how are we going to improve these kids' lives while figuring out how to win baseball games. Enthusiasm, energy that is who I hired and who I brought. So, when we have those transition anywhere, we got lucky it was Manhattan, Kansas, we will be smooth. We all have a common goal we are going to have these guys reach their potential and go on and graduate and their going to raise their families in a great place while having fun doing and working like crazy to try to outwork everybody we are competing against."
On adding more left-handed pitching and catching…
"You look at baseball, usually you build championships with left handed pitching and up the middle. We inherited one catcher we were really, really thin up the middle defensive. We did an amazing job from June 12th when we had 11 bodies on our roster. That is unheard of to do that in college baseball. Recruiting is so accelerated and is done two to three years out to really hustle and use our network to get kids of high quality to feel those positions in need I think we have done a great job. In this league at this level you better match up from the 6th inning on and you better have left handed options starting the game and, in the bullpen, to win at this level and in this league. I think we have done that, and the previous staff did an outstanding job bringing in young left-handed pitching that will help us out immediately. I do not want to let that go unstated and we are going to use everybody in that capacity that throws from that side. When you look at the roster and how it broke down immediate areas that needed to be addressed was the catching situation the middle infield and left-handed pitching. At the same time, you try to develop guys on the mound and I think we have a pitching staff that does that and has the ability to maximize our potential."
On the renovations made to Tointon Family Stadium…
"Anytime that your boss and your department and your university feels that your program is worthy of investing in, it's exciting. That's what brought me here. Gene Taylor is few and far between in this profession. He knows exactly where his baseball program is, he knows exactly how wide the gap is and he knows exactly how to close that gap. In this day in age, it's in facilities and its investing in your program. With that, it helps us become more of a player in the recruiting market, because if I am a dad that has children that want to play college baseball, and I am, I want to see how invested that university is in my son's future as a baseball player because that's what's important to him. That's what people see in the recruiting market and in the region now. Kansas State wants to be really good in baseball again and they are going to invest in that. To be able to recruit in that everyday has been a luxury. We have the newness of a staff, we've got young, high-energy guys that can go out and recruit and sell this university and this community and the investment in baseball, so you tag those things together in the recruiting market, it helps us tag those players and parents that I don't know that they have been involved in the past few years. But we are involved with the right guys because of that and it's all because of investment in the University the department and the program."
On his feel of the starting rotation…
"You know, it's an ongoing battle, so it's kind of critical as we get to the last 7-10 days before we open up. Jordan Wicks, our left hander from Arkansas will definitely play into that. We've got about four or five guys battling for those rotation spots. Some guys that were pivotal in the bullpen, maybe I have evaluated differently and I want to extend them. But it's the age-old question, where do you put your more talented pitchers? Do you put them in the starting rotation or, do you put them in the bullpen? Sometimes you never get to the guy in the bullpen because the game is over because your starting pitching. But then you have a starter, you see that kid once a week and then, you have no one to close out the game for you. So what's the solution to that? Recruiting depth so you have options right from the sixth inning on and you have good starting pitching. I always say the number eight, if you have eight guys that can win for you at this level in the Big 12, I think you can be creative where you're not wearing guys out in the bullpen. I think that eight quality guys can help you and help you win in this league. We're just trying to figure out what that eight is right now. We may know it before we get to California, we may know it when we come back, because when the lights come on and the scoreboard comes on and it's for keeps, sometimes guys emerge and sometimes guys take a couple steps back."
KASEY FORD, JUNIOR, RHP
On describing the coaching staff and impact they've had on players…
"It's been remarkable. Coach Hughes brings out the winning mentality in all of us, especially in us three. We've seen the good and the bad of the previous years. With Coach Hughes it's been nothing but driving forward and moving forward from where we were. The culture changed drastically and immediately. As soon as he stepped on the field the culture changed. It's impacted our lives greatly. He really just brings out the winner in all of us."
On what Coach Hughes does to keep them motivated…
"What really motivates us is just going out there and for us wanting to be the best that we can be. That's, for me, especially, biggest motivator is wanting to win games and wanting to be the absolute best that I can be. I know these guys want the same. That also motivates me. These guys on the table here with me they push me to be the best just like I push them. The in and of itself is the biggest motivator, to win games.
On motivating to build on last season's finish…
"Yeah, absolutely. Take last season as a learning experience, but that's all we're going to take from it because we're going to forget about it and move forward from there.
On where he made the biggest strides on the mound…
"For me it's the ability to throw secondary pitches, a changeup. I've developed a better slider, a better curveball. The ability to command those pitches any time I want, anywhere I want is the biggest improvement I've made over the fall and into the spring."
On the pitching staff improvements…
"Our depth is what's improved tremendously. We have four or five guys that can really compete for a rotation spot on the weekend. Along with that, we have two or three guys at mid relief that will get the job done. And we have two or three guys that can come in and close it when we have a lead in the eighth or ninth. Just our depth has improved to where we have a complete staff to go out and win a series any weekend we want to."
On new renovations and what that means…
"It's a huge difference for us. I can recall on the first day we got to practice on the new field we were just like kids in a candy store. It was incredible. Having these new facilities in upcoming seasons is going to be awesome for us and for incoming guys to come in and play. It gives you that extra benefit of coming in and wanting to play and wanting to be here."
On taking on Fresno State and other early opponents…
"You can never take any opponent for granted. So we're really anxious and excited to go out there and compete. That's what's really driving us is turning the lights on and getting out there and getting the job done. These teams we're going to play we're not going to take them for granted, we're going to respect them and get wins."
WILL BRENNAN, JUNIOR, OF/LHP
On how different the culture is now with Coach Hughes…
"I would say it is a huge culture change, at least for us. People ask me back home, 'how's it playing for Coach Hughes and stuff. More or less, at least we talk about it, it feels like I'm finally playing college baseball. Like Coach Hughes said a lot of respect for the past coaching staff but the work we put in now, consistency, it's all what builds a winning culture and program."
On how tough it is handling the load of pitching/being at the plate…
"I have a really big-time supporting staff behind me. Coach (Josh) Cyr helps out in the weight room, Blaine (Burris) with the training staff. They're always there for you. It's kind of on you to put the work in, the recovery time, so that you can be 100 percent when you step out there on Friday night."
On responsibility three juniors have taken on with new staff…
"I feel like we took a lot of the responsibility. We all like to lead by example. It's the best way to do it. We go out and do our business. We do what the coaches tell us to do. We listen. It ends up paying off. I feel like we took on a pretty heavy burden, but we kind of wanted that. If you want to be great you have to be able to lead and keep gaining confidence and learning about the game. That's what we take pride in.
On new renovations and what that means…
"I think also it's the community's, they want us to succeed. The only way to succeed is to keep gaining the best facilities, the best players so the community of Manhattan is obviously looking out for the baseball team and wanting the best for them."
On feeling like a new team…
"Absolutely, it feels like a new team. I think we had 12 returners come back from our team last year. It was just a couple of weeks in the fall that you have to build your team up. We did that off the field, on the field and all that kind of stuff. It does feel like a team that we can succeed with based on what our coaches have taught us and the work we put in every day."
On playing in Massachusetts (Cape Cod League) over the summer…
"Playing against the best every day. I got to play against Cam, and I know Kasey was going to go up there, but an injury didn't allow him to do that. It's playing against the best in the country every day. You got to bring every day, and the coaches will keep throwing you. Surrounding yourself with the best is always awesome."
CAMERON THOMPSON, JUNIOR, IF/OF
On what his experience with this team and can they surprise people this year...
"Absolutely. I think that we're going to show, like Coach Hughes said, the preseason poll doesn't matter at all. We're just going to move past that, and I think we're going to be a lot better than we have been in the past. I think we have the work ethic for it."
On difference in work ethic in all the guys…
"I have noticed a difference, a really big difference. People live playing for Coach Hughes and Coach Wates and all those guys. There's a pretty big difference."
On being comfortable at playing second base…
"I'm really comfortable there. I played infield my whole life. Actually, my freshman year was the first year I played outfield, but it was an easy transition. I feel really comfortable."
K-State officially begins its 2019 season on February 15 with a four-game series at CSUN. Hughes enters his first season at the helm of the Wildcats and his 22nd as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 652-492-3.
Select comments from the press conference are posted below (also streamed live and archived here).
PETE HUGHES, K-STATE HEAD COACH
Opening statement…
"It is always an exciting time of the year. Knowing when that start of the season is it is not atypical to Major League Baseball. We get going before spring training when pitchers and catchers even go. We have been at it for a while and it is exciting especially with a new program and change in the coaching staff and a lot of personnel in our clubhouse to get going and play against some different programs and watch our guys compete. Everything has been great. I could not be more excited with our guys in their approach and their attention to detail. They are guys that really care about seeing how good they can get in sport a sport they love. Being around that every day is awesome. Many get caught up in the process and I tell them don't be result oriented. I am the only one in a result-oriented business and that is the way we go about our business. Our guys have been meticulous in their preparation and the enthusiasm level is great. These are the guys you want to go into competition with. The weather has cooperated which is a built-in excuse around here in the baseball program at Kansas State that we will not cave into ever. We are going to go outside. It is going to be our edge and where we feel comfortable playing and preparing. We really lucked out the last three days and took advantage of that. Our guys are right where I thought they would be. It is something that you really look forward to going out and then when the comes come you see what kind of competitive people you have in your dugout and in your clubhouse. I think it bodes well for what I have seen and how I have evaluated so far."
On junior outfielder/pitcher Will Brennan…
"Will (Brennan) will have a major role in our program from a pitching standpoint. I have coached against and coached Will now and he is one of the most talented players in the country. We need to maximize his ability here and we will do that. If we are to open up next weekend Will will play center field and hit lead off for us on Friday, do the same on Saturday and then start on the mound on Sunday. It is my job to be careful with him and protect the welfare of Will and his career and minimize his throws. We will always fare on the side of Will's career and welfare, but Will is also very unselfish, and he will do anything for Kansas State baseball and to win games."
On inheriting players…
"We inherited 26 players when I got the job. I knew a lot of them and I did my background on a lot of them. A lot of it is numbers, video and scouting reports. You really never know who they are until you get into the substance of practice to watch these guys compete, scrimmage, prepare and go about their business in the weight room as well as socially and academically. It all goes into those and I locked into that and could not be any happier. Our guys are well rounded and motivated. It is our job to get them on the baseball field to make jumps as baseball players, show them our structure expectation levels and goals to make sure it is on the same page as theirs. A lot of these guys haven't been told they are good baseball players in a long time, and I have done that because they are. They want to see results and I want to see results. Their preparation is on, they care about it, their skillset is good enough and they just have to learn how to win a little bit too. I have been more than happy with the guys I have inherited as far as people and approach. They love the game and are certainly guys I enjoy being around on a daily basis."
On juniors Will Brennan, Kasey Ford and Cameron Thompson …
"I try not to put too much of those guys. It seems like Cameron, Kasey and Will are the trio spokespeople for the program. There is enough going on being a student athlete these days. We just talked about Will being a two-way guy for us. I do not want those guys being the bridge that gapped two coaching staffs for us. I just want those guys to be student athletes, college baseball players and love everything which that entails. I just enjoy being around them. I would much rather coach them than coach against them. I have done that and it has been much better on this side. These guys are really productive and good players. They want to listen and learn at a high level which usually does not go hand in hand at when you are the faces of a program. It is rare and unique that they still want to listen and their need to get better is as good as their talent. When your best players are your best workers and do the right thing socially while understanding the academic component it helps me try to change the culture."
On junior pitcher Kasey Ford…
"Kasey is a guy that you have to get on the mound because he has pitched a lot. He gave me fits in the opposite dugout as a freshman and I said wow that kid is going to be really good. To be good in this league you have to have the talent number one but the guys who have the database with the experience and the innings those guys are going to be really good. That is where he is now. He has a lot of experience in this league and that is where he is at now. We're going to throw a lot of stuff on his shoulders and they are big enough to handle a lot. He loves to compete and he will be good for our younger guys when we expand their roles to see how they go about their business, especially in the Big 12 and how to prepare. He is going to be right in the thick of things this year. We are going to need him that is for sure."
On transitioning to Kansas State…
"The transition has been as smooth possibly as you can make it. Especially in a community like this. It is an ideal college community that has open arms. When you have people coming all over the country like we have, from the west coast and Austin Wates is coming from pro ball, Ryan Connolly our director of operations is coming from Virginia Tech. We came from all over but there is a couple things in common. We all have the value system is through the roof we all want best for the student athlete and how are we going to improve these kids' lives while figuring out how to win baseball games. Enthusiasm, energy that is who I hired and who I brought. So, when we have those transition anywhere, we got lucky it was Manhattan, Kansas, we will be smooth. We all have a common goal we are going to have these guys reach their potential and go on and graduate and their going to raise their families in a great place while having fun doing and working like crazy to try to outwork everybody we are competing against."
On adding more left-handed pitching and catching…
"You look at baseball, usually you build championships with left handed pitching and up the middle. We inherited one catcher we were really, really thin up the middle defensive. We did an amazing job from June 12th when we had 11 bodies on our roster. That is unheard of to do that in college baseball. Recruiting is so accelerated and is done two to three years out to really hustle and use our network to get kids of high quality to feel those positions in need I think we have done a great job. In this league at this level you better match up from the 6th inning on and you better have left handed options starting the game and, in the bullpen, to win at this level and in this league. I think we have done that, and the previous staff did an outstanding job bringing in young left-handed pitching that will help us out immediately. I do not want to let that go unstated and we are going to use everybody in that capacity that throws from that side. When you look at the roster and how it broke down immediate areas that needed to be addressed was the catching situation the middle infield and left-handed pitching. At the same time, you try to develop guys on the mound and I think we have a pitching staff that does that and has the ability to maximize our potential."
On the renovations made to Tointon Family Stadium…
"Anytime that your boss and your department and your university feels that your program is worthy of investing in, it's exciting. That's what brought me here. Gene Taylor is few and far between in this profession. He knows exactly where his baseball program is, he knows exactly how wide the gap is and he knows exactly how to close that gap. In this day in age, it's in facilities and its investing in your program. With that, it helps us become more of a player in the recruiting market, because if I am a dad that has children that want to play college baseball, and I am, I want to see how invested that university is in my son's future as a baseball player because that's what's important to him. That's what people see in the recruiting market and in the region now. Kansas State wants to be really good in baseball again and they are going to invest in that. To be able to recruit in that everyday has been a luxury. We have the newness of a staff, we've got young, high-energy guys that can go out and recruit and sell this university and this community and the investment in baseball, so you tag those things together in the recruiting market, it helps us tag those players and parents that I don't know that they have been involved in the past few years. But we are involved with the right guys because of that and it's all because of investment in the University the department and the program."
On his feel of the starting rotation…
"You know, it's an ongoing battle, so it's kind of critical as we get to the last 7-10 days before we open up. Jordan Wicks, our left hander from Arkansas will definitely play into that. We've got about four or five guys battling for those rotation spots. Some guys that were pivotal in the bullpen, maybe I have evaluated differently and I want to extend them. But it's the age-old question, where do you put your more talented pitchers? Do you put them in the starting rotation or, do you put them in the bullpen? Sometimes you never get to the guy in the bullpen because the game is over because your starting pitching. But then you have a starter, you see that kid once a week and then, you have no one to close out the game for you. So what's the solution to that? Recruiting depth so you have options right from the sixth inning on and you have good starting pitching. I always say the number eight, if you have eight guys that can win for you at this level in the Big 12, I think you can be creative where you're not wearing guys out in the bullpen. I think that eight quality guys can help you and help you win in this league. We're just trying to figure out what that eight is right now. We may know it before we get to California, we may know it when we come back, because when the lights come on and the scoreboard comes on and it's for keeps, sometimes guys emerge and sometimes guys take a couple steps back."
KASEY FORD, JUNIOR, RHP
On describing the coaching staff and impact they've had on players…
"It's been remarkable. Coach Hughes brings out the winning mentality in all of us, especially in us three. We've seen the good and the bad of the previous years. With Coach Hughes it's been nothing but driving forward and moving forward from where we were. The culture changed drastically and immediately. As soon as he stepped on the field the culture changed. It's impacted our lives greatly. He really just brings out the winner in all of us."
On what Coach Hughes does to keep them motivated…
"What really motivates us is just going out there and for us wanting to be the best that we can be. That's, for me, especially, biggest motivator is wanting to win games and wanting to be the absolute best that I can be. I know these guys want the same. That also motivates me. These guys on the table here with me they push me to be the best just like I push them. The in and of itself is the biggest motivator, to win games.
On motivating to build on last season's finish…
"Yeah, absolutely. Take last season as a learning experience, but that's all we're going to take from it because we're going to forget about it and move forward from there.
On where he made the biggest strides on the mound…
"For me it's the ability to throw secondary pitches, a changeup. I've developed a better slider, a better curveball. The ability to command those pitches any time I want, anywhere I want is the biggest improvement I've made over the fall and into the spring."
On the pitching staff improvements…
"Our depth is what's improved tremendously. We have four or five guys that can really compete for a rotation spot on the weekend. Along with that, we have two or three guys at mid relief that will get the job done. And we have two or three guys that can come in and close it when we have a lead in the eighth or ninth. Just our depth has improved to where we have a complete staff to go out and win a series any weekend we want to."
On new renovations and what that means…
"It's a huge difference for us. I can recall on the first day we got to practice on the new field we were just like kids in a candy store. It was incredible. Having these new facilities in upcoming seasons is going to be awesome for us and for incoming guys to come in and play. It gives you that extra benefit of coming in and wanting to play and wanting to be here."
On taking on Fresno State and other early opponents…
"You can never take any opponent for granted. So we're really anxious and excited to go out there and compete. That's what's really driving us is turning the lights on and getting out there and getting the job done. These teams we're going to play we're not going to take them for granted, we're going to respect them and get wins."
WILL BRENNAN, JUNIOR, OF/LHP
On how different the culture is now with Coach Hughes…
"I would say it is a huge culture change, at least for us. People ask me back home, 'how's it playing for Coach Hughes and stuff. More or less, at least we talk about it, it feels like I'm finally playing college baseball. Like Coach Hughes said a lot of respect for the past coaching staff but the work we put in now, consistency, it's all what builds a winning culture and program."
On how tough it is handling the load of pitching/being at the plate…
"I have a really big-time supporting staff behind me. Coach (Josh) Cyr helps out in the weight room, Blaine (Burris) with the training staff. They're always there for you. It's kind of on you to put the work in, the recovery time, so that you can be 100 percent when you step out there on Friday night."
On responsibility three juniors have taken on with new staff…
"I feel like we took a lot of the responsibility. We all like to lead by example. It's the best way to do it. We go out and do our business. We do what the coaches tell us to do. We listen. It ends up paying off. I feel like we took on a pretty heavy burden, but we kind of wanted that. If you want to be great you have to be able to lead and keep gaining confidence and learning about the game. That's what we take pride in.
On new renovations and what that means…
"I think also it's the community's, they want us to succeed. The only way to succeed is to keep gaining the best facilities, the best players so the community of Manhattan is obviously looking out for the baseball team and wanting the best for them."
On feeling like a new team…
"Absolutely, it feels like a new team. I think we had 12 returners come back from our team last year. It was just a couple of weeks in the fall that you have to build your team up. We did that off the field, on the field and all that kind of stuff. It does feel like a team that we can succeed with based on what our coaches have taught us and the work we put in every day."
On playing in Massachusetts (Cape Cod League) over the summer…
"Playing against the best every day. I got to play against Cam, and I know Kasey was going to go up there, but an injury didn't allow him to do that. It's playing against the best in the country every day. You got to bring every day, and the coaches will keep throwing you. Surrounding yourself with the best is always awesome."
CAMERON THOMPSON, JUNIOR, IF/OF
On what his experience with this team and can they surprise people this year...
"Absolutely. I think that we're going to show, like Coach Hughes said, the preseason poll doesn't matter at all. We're just going to move past that, and I think we're going to be a lot better than we have been in the past. I think we have the work ethic for it."
On difference in work ethic in all the guys…
"I have noticed a difference, a really big difference. People live playing for Coach Hughes and Coach Wates and all those guys. There's a pretty big difference."
On being comfortable at playing second base…
"I'm really comfortable there. I played infield my whole life. Actually, my freshman year was the first year I played outfield, but it was an easy transition. I feel really comfortable."
Players Mentioned
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
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