By Eric Johnson
Coming out of high school, most recruits are going to be used to hitting somewhere in the top of the order. Most college level hitters are somewhere in the 1-5 spots in high school and they’re used to having the team’s offense revolve around them. But in college, it’s a different story.
Someone once told me, “Enjoy your senior year of high school. You’ll never feel that important again in your entire life.” Nowhere is this more true than on the baseball field. You’re probably used to being ‘The Guy’ on your team. In college, at least to start your career, you’ll be much lower on the totem pole. You’ll probably start off hitting low in the order and you’ll be treated as an easy out, an unproven player. Many players try to break this stereotype by doing too much. They get greedy at the plate and go away from their approach. Don’t. Remember, you were a great hitter in high school because you were comfortable with your abilities. So, why change anything in college?
If you start off somewhere low in the lineup, the most important thing you can do to prove you belong is to have quality, team at-bats. If that means bunting somebody over so they can be in scoring position for the top of the order, then commit yourself to it fully. If it means hitting a ground ball to the right side to advance a runner, commit to that. Do whatever you can to give your team the best chance of scoring runs.
If you start to get moved up in the order, don’t make an immature mistake and think that it means that you have to get big, hit homeruns, and be a hitter that you aren’t. Have more respect for the game and for yourself than that. If you get moved up, stick with your approach. Have team at-bats. Commit to giving your team the best chance to win.
Lots of college programs are in the midst of a drastic change. The new BBCOR bats have changed collegiate baseball at its core. The 3- and 4-hitters are getting called on to bunt and hit-and-run. Small ball is a huge part of the game, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. So, no matter where you are in the lineup, commit to a team-first mentality. That will make you be the best hitter for your team and it will make you into the best college hitter you can be.
