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How I got drafted by a Major League Baseball team (Thread):
I wanted to make a strong impression my first day with the @VandyBoys, so I busted my butt after signing my Senior year of HS
Our first day of workouts, everyone's shirts were off
It was testing & body comp time
I wanted to make a strong impression my first day with the @VandyBoys, so I busted my butt after signing my Senior year of HS
Our first day of workouts, everyone's shirts were off
It was testing & body comp time
The month before I was lifting 10 hours per week, conditioning hard, & eating 5,000+ low fat cals per day
I measured 7.6% body fat at 186 lbs. Led all Freshman with 19 bench press reps @ 185 lbs. @DAVIDprice24 did zero
As you can tell, bench press is very important in baseball
I measured 7.6% body fat at 186 lbs. Led all Freshman with 19 bench press reps @ 185 lbs. @DAVIDprice24 did zero
As you can tell, bench press is very important in baseball
It was at 18 y.o. that I learned the advantages of simply being in great shape
Even though I missed most of fall practice with a hurt knee, I was one of 2 freshmen assigned to play in the Cape Cod league that summer, b/c my coach knew from my conditioning that I was a competitor
Even though I missed most of fall practice with a hurt knee, I was one of 2 freshmen assigned to play in the Cape Cod league that summer, b/c my coach knew from my conditioning that I was a competitor
Except I was still insecure in my baseball ability
After a couple disappointing weeks of practice leading up to the season, I found myself on the bench
But after catching a couple breaks, I made my way into the starting lineup & finished the season as the starting third baseman
After a couple disappointing weeks of practice leading up to the season, I found myself on the bench
But after catching a couple breaks, I made my way into the starting lineup & finished the season as the starting third baseman
I hit .335 my freshman year, but with zero power despite my raw strength
My swing was very inefficient
Down in the Cape League, it wasn't much better
I hit .224 with no power on the worst team in Cape league history
We won 7 games out of 44
My swing was very inefficient
Down in the Cape League, it wasn't much better
I hit .224 with no power on the worst team in Cape league history
We won 7 games out of 44
There were some studs in that league
Andrew Miller, Evan Longoria, & Todd Frazier were all on the same team
Every time they played us we lost like 100-0
And Todd Frazier's goon friends from New Jersey would come and yell the entire game
We were overmatched
I was overmatched
Andrew Miller, Evan Longoria, & Todd Frazier were all on the same team
Every time they played us we lost like 100-0
And Todd Frazier's goon friends from New Jersey would come and yell the entire game
We were overmatched
I was overmatched
But I was still young & plausibly capable of getting better
Except I was so worried about losing what athleticism I'd developed, that I never rested sufficiently
By my sophomore year, I could bench 320 lbs, but only hit 1 home run w/ a lower batting average
I got slow & stiff
Except I was so worried about losing what athleticism I'd developed, that I never rested sufficiently
By my sophomore year, I could bench 320 lbs, but only hit 1 home run w/ a lower batting average
I got slow & stiff
Coaches were starting to do lose faith in my ability to not only improve, but even to continue as a starter
By my Junior year, I knew I needed to change
My competitive drive was driving me crazy
The pressure that was put on me and that I put on myself was too much to handle
By my Junior year, I knew I needed to change
My competitive drive was driving me crazy
The pressure that was put on me and that I put on myself was too much to handle
I needed to figure out how to relax and change my approach
So I spent LESS time in the weight room & LESS time in the batting cages
And it worked
I hit .317 with 4 home runs my Junior year - enough to believe I could play after college
But I was still far from a prospect
So I spent LESS time in the weight room & LESS time in the batting cages
And it worked
I hit .317 with 4 home runs my Junior year - enough to believe I could play after college
But I was still far from a prospect
I just didn't "look" like a MLB player
I tried my best. Wore all the flashy wrist tape that did nothing but make scouts think you were athletic
But I never busted out of the mold of a "hustle" guy, i.e. low ceiling roster filler who could make plays but would never "make it"
I tried my best. Wore all the flashy wrist tape that did nothing but make scouts think you were athletic
But I never busted out of the mold of a "hustle" guy, i.e. low ceiling roster filler who could make plays but would never "make it"
& even though I got off to a hot start as a Senior, I was still an afterthought for scouts
They were more focused on Pedro Alvarez & @RFlaherty3 that year
Nobody cared that I was 2nd in the SEC in hitting half way through
It was really one act of toughness that sealed the deal
They were more focused on Pedro Alvarez & @RFlaherty3 that year
Nobody cared that I was 2nd in the SEC in hitting half way through
It was really one act of toughness that sealed the deal
I played at Mississippi St. the week after breaking my jaw, wearing basically a football helmet on the field. I ate out of a straw the entire week prior
Terrible branding. Firmly pigeonholed myself as a hustle guy
Which, in the end, turned out to be OK
Terrible branding. Firmly pigeonholed myself as a hustle guy
Which, in the end, turned out to be OK
Two months later, the MLB draft started
Every team passed on me on Day 1
On Day 2, I got a call
"Congratulations Alex, you've been selected by the Colorado Rockies" the scout said
And there it was
Off I went to Casper, WY to start a new chapter in my life as a pro
player
Every team passed on me on Day 1
On Day 2, I got a call
"Congratulations Alex, you've been selected by the Colorado Rockies" the scout said
And there it was
Off I went to Casper, WY to start a new chapter in my life as a pro
player
