The Prep Baseball Report Mississippi scouting staff recently sat down with Pontotoc catcher, Hayden Harris to discuss his recent commitment to Jones County Junior College. Below is a transcript of our question and answer session:

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process?
Harris: I thought the recruiting process was going to be a cake walk but, come to find out it’s not as easy as I thought it would be.  

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision? 
Harris: To some extent it did, but nice facilities and great coaches make up for the distance.  

PBR: Where did the college you chose first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
Harris: JCJC first saw me at the state games of MS. I also had a past teammate that played for them as well so they knew who I was. 

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?
Harris: Being in the 4A classification, you see average arms quite often, but in division we faced an above average pitcher (Aubrey Gillentine) who sits low 90s and has a nice breaking ball along with a change up.  

PBR: At what point in your career did you realize you were an elite player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?
Harris: When I was a sophomore I started barreling up pitchers that were committed juco and that’s when I knew I would be playing at the next level someday. 

PBR: What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?
Harris: I wanted to go somewhere where they have won a lot of ballgames and have sent people to the next level. 

PBR: What is your best attribute as a baseball player and how does that transfer onto the field for your team?
Harris: Being a catcher you have to have good leadership and that is something I believe I have. It helps when someone is talking on the field before every pitch and communicating with their teammates.  

PBR: What part of your game needs the biggest improvement, why, and what will you do to improve it?
Harris: Defensively I could improve my pop time and that will improve this offseason with tons of transfer drills and arm strength training. 

PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
Harris: What you put in is what you will get out, and someone else out there is working harder than you so you better take that extra cut or that extra ground ball so you can make that big time play when needed the most.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?
Harris: In the off-season there will tons of running and core, on top of that I’m a true believer in the weights.

PBR: What do you like most about the college you committed to and what were the key factors in making your decision?
Harris: JCJC is one of the top baseball programs in the country when it comes to juco. The thing that stuck out the most to me personally was the baseball facilities. 

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
Harris: Northwest CC, East Central CC, and Meridian CC

 

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