One thing that never ceases to astound me is how many really good dudes play baseball.   This last week top LA Dodger prospect Scott Schebler was in working on his swing with Shawn.  Scott, an Iowa native,    was drafted in the 26th round out of Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in 2010 (the same DMACC that former Hitdawg player Gunnar McCarthy plays at;  What up Gunnar!) .  Scott took some time off his busy training schedule to let me pick his brain a little bit.

When do you get started with your off-season workouts and what do you work on? 

I get started right away.  This year I got started a little later because I played in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), so not until late November but I usually get started right after I get back in early October.  At first I mostly get in the weight room and work on my swing.  I have to get my reps in for muscle memory.  I like putting in the work.

What is your thought process when it comes to training and performing in baseball?

I think I’m the best.  I don’t talk about it and I don’t mean that in an arrogant way.  It’s just the attitude I take with me on the field.  Being a late draft I know that I may not get the same opportunities as some of the higher picks so I have to be ready to perform at all times.  I have to be ready for and take advantage of my chances.  Sometimes the higher picks and even the kids growing up who were the best have a “relax button” because they don’t feel any pressure to perform.  That isn’t always a good thing; it can lead to a bad attitude and bad thought patterns.  You have to be ready to perform at all times to take advantage of your opportunities.

What are you working on?

Mostly swing plane.  Shawn and I worked on some things with my swing during the season and I took them into the AFL to work on them.  Now I am up here so he can see if I am making gains and my swing is on the right track.

Why Shawn? 

First of all Shawn’s a genius when it comes to hitting.  I had a great time working with him last year, he may not have always had a great time with me, but I had a great time with him.  He is one of the only coaches I have had who can flip to you and still see what’s wrong with your swing.  And he works hard.  He is up every night watching film of his hitters; you just don’t get coaches who do that every night.  He knows the game and most importantly at the end of the day he cares about you.

Do you think it is important for young players to use the off season to make changes to and improve their swings?

Yes I do.  I also believe it is important to play all types of sports to improve your athleticism.  I played four sports in high school but would still hit in the cage in the winter.  You have to put the hours in.  If it is something you are passionate about it is cool to specialize in a sport maybe as a junior or senior.  But continue to do other athletic things.

What do you think some of the keys have been to your success as a hitter? 

Well I could always hit.  I had a pretty good swing but I didn’t have outrageous numbers in high school.  Honestly, for me it was getting in the weight room and making that a part of my game.  Bigger, faster, stronger.  In JUCO I went from a 6.9 sixty yard dash to a 6.5.  A lot of that came from getting stronger.

How important are the other aspects of the game, i.e. fielding, base running, etc.?

It’s a deal breaker.  If you are gonna be a DH you better hit 45 home runs.  Literally it can keep you from the big leagues.  Playing good defense and being a smart player can make or break you.

If you could give advice about baseball to yourself at 15 years old, what would you say?

Learn how to play defense.  If I put as much time into my defense as I did my hitting I might already be there by now.  Certainly things would have been a lot easier for me.  I would tell myself “hey this matters later”.

Anything parting advice for our members?

Yeah, stick with it.  I was a late bloomer.  Keep working on your game, you never know where you will be in a few years.

Thanks to Scott for giving us his time.  Check his stats out on the internet machine, this guy’s a masher.  We’ll be seeing him in the big leagues soon.

~Matt Paulsen