Welcome to this series that I consider as special in my heart. This is where I interview the 2020 undrafted free agent signees, get to know them better, in turn, you get to know them too. Past the scouting reports, past other people's opinions, straight from the source themselves. However, I am going to cover those prospects who did not have the media fanfare, the attention, the spotlight. I am going to focus on the prospects beyond the 7 selections of the 2020 MLB Draft.
This interview is very verbatim. I don't want to edit what the prospects said about the topics so that you can feel what type of personality they had. In turn, you see mine as well. I am using initials (mine's W, the draftees depend on the first letter of their first name).
In this post, I interviewed Tyler Forner, an outfielder from Camas HS in the state of Washington. I found Tyler as a really fun guy to talk to and his answers to my questions are always on point and well-detailed. He can make a pretty good commentator someday! I hope you had the same fun reading this one!
W: How are you Tyler? How does it feel to be a Giant?
T: I am doing well and feels amazing, God definitely had this go full circle with me growing up in the Bay Area as a kid for a few years and going to Giants games to now signing to play for them!
W: That's great! It truly is a unique experience, doing all of these things virtually right?
T: Yes, had a few zoom calls before the officially signing and then signed on the computer.
W: Cool. I guess the most important questions is that was it an easy choice foregoing college and head straight to pro baseball? I read you had multiple D1 offers. Is that correct?
T: Yes I had a few but turned them down wanting to focus on going pro early and out of high school, considered the juco right but really wanted to develop early!
W: That's really cool essentially because you are one of the rare HS signees that forego college in order to focus on their pro careers. Really small company!
T: Yes for sure. I can not wait!
W: You played for 2 sports in HS, right as an OF and a LB? Do you think playing two sports helps a lot in terms of growing as a baseball player and is it easy to let go of football?
T: Yes I played them all as a kid then once high school hit I just focused on those 2. I believe every sport grows you in some way for sure that benefits in the other or overall in life. I actually played a lot of different spots in football, ended up with first team all league at RB, player of the year for special teams for returning kicks for diacritics, and then all state for linebacker so it was a lot of fun to be blessed and play it all!!
W: Wow, that's a lot of accolades! I feel that your sheer athleticism will translate well on the baseball field. Speaking of baseball, what are your skills that you think are your strengths right now? Is it hitting for power or more of a leadoff-type mentality, get on base?
T: Thank you yes for sure. I have the ability to use my speed to take bases away from people in the outfield as well as stealing bases and extra bases with hits. But also being able to balance that with keeping a lot of strength for the weight room over the years hit for power. So being athletic on the baseball field and figuring it in to all types of play.
W: That's great! I mean the Giants do preach versatility and you have been a very versatile athlete on the football field. Maybe you can try to take that versatility on the diamond, maybe play in the infield? haha
T: Lol I don’t know about that, when I was 13 though my Camas-Washougal Babe Ruth Team went all the way to the World Series and I was the lefty shortstop every inning for that face with tears of joy! LOL
W: Goddamn, lefty shortstop! Did the Giants coaches reached out to you after you signed and what do you think are the things that you think you need to work on?
T: Not so far, once everything gets going and clears up I can get to AZ and start training and get development plans going on all that.
W: What did you do in the downtime? Have you been working out or relaxing?
T: Been working out trying to get on fields and stay up with it on the baseball side of things and just keeping it lighter on heavy working out lifting wise but hitting my squat rack I have in the garage with everything being closed lately. Ready to ramp it up though now that things are getting back to normal and can get back to a routine. I do like to get outside and fish as well as staying outside with pickup basketball games. Recently throwing in a lot of golf which has been a blast then throwing in some video games with friends when I get some downtime.
W: That's nice! Do you have a baseball player that you look up to right now?
T: Hard to go wrong with a guy like Mike Trout who is just so fun to watch play always especially seeing how he holds himself in general, also really love the swag of guys like Javier Báez in the game!
W: Well, maybe you can be like a Mike Trout for the Giants, you never know!
T: For sure!!
W: It's been a great talk Tyler. You handle the questions very well and very detailed. Looks like you have a bright future ahead of you. Do you have any message to Giants fans who will get to know how awesome of a person you are?
T: Thank you, I enjoyed it as well! I am ready to get to work and can not wait to start up, blessed to be a Giant and join this wonderful fan base that is all around! Go Giants !! <3
No comments:
Post a Comment