January 25, 2025 • 11 mins
Zach Dezenzo talks the latest with the Houston Astros from 2025 Astros Fan Fest at Daikin Park.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Come on, man, they're growing these guys like uh outside
linebackers go Zach shouts house, Come on man.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Come on.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
One of my one of my biggest hate, one of
my biggest hates. You wait, a guy who could play
multiple do it all hits for power. Woltz is in
like he's like I had to do, like I had
to throw against a guy like him coming.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Off the edge. Yeah, they playing, Hey what are you? Six? Five?
About two thirty about two thirty five? Right now? Sixty?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Ye you warning track power right?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hey? Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
His uh, his first big league home run was over
the Green Monster against your red So I remember.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
That one lifelong socks. So I tell you many fenways.
You know, I love it here. But when you go, oh, well,
how was first trip there? It was aside from the
home and what was it like walking into the building.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yeah, so I debuted in Arlington against the Raineers and
straight to Boston from there, man, it was. It was
just a whirlwind of emotions walking into Boston. What a
historic park and to get my first one there was
such a blessed.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I got some family there too, basically the left the monsters.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so you got to go in and
sign the Green Monster, that whole, uh whole, the nostalgic
thing that they do.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Yeah, first thing I did almost when when I got
there was was go sign the wall.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
So it was it really did you did?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Were you giddy? I mean you're so young, I mean
it really had to be. You got to focus on
because you're up. Do you want to impress? But still
it's Fenway play.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
I had to be pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Didn't you feel like going playing Augusta the first time
in golf? Wasn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Similar for a baseball guy.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I would think so yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Or when you go to Wrigley, Wrigley the old Yankee
Stadium and in uh Fenway, So those are the two
old not nostalgic buildings in Major League Baseball. Man, that's
that's pretty cool. So I got to ask you, man,
just just full transparency.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Did you hear all.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Of the uh the high expectations for you last year?
Do we talked about you on our show all the
time by you coming up? We have a guy that
listens to us and calls Ronnie always asks about the
minor leagues, and you were tearing it up. It was
you low per feedo Jacob Melton. Everybody was just clamoring
for you to be brought up. Did you hear that
or did you just kind of staying there what he.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Did all the time we got done with everybody.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Everybody did. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Well, I first and foremost I appreciate that from you guys.
I had a pretty good twenty twenty three season, my
first full year in the organization. Coming into twenty four,
had a little bit of an injury, so I you know,
I was rehabbing earlier that year, and I just you know,
kept putting my put my my head down and working
and trust of the process, and yeah, sure enough, I
(02:27):
found myself in the big leagues a couple of months
after getting back to play.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, it was. It was such a bust as well.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Okay, what's the toughest part about sustaining great play as
a major leaguer.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Yeah, I think it's just the ability to day in
and day out, like overcome and get past all the adversity,
all the failure that you're gonna go through, just showing
up being the same person every day.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And that's the long season man.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
One hundred and sixty two games and ability to be
the same guy, show up every day, no matter the circumstances.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Is I think super key.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah, because like a high school you know, you know,
to try to get a guy out is like him is.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, so's a lot of success.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Then you go up there and yeah, you gotta have
the same set in but except the fact that it's
just you're not gonna hit five hundred, right, amazing.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
What's the biggest difference This may sound like a dumb question,
biggest difference between big league pitching and Triple A pitching?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, man, I felt it right away.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Just the stuff, you know, the stuff guys are throwing harder,
their off speeds are are spinning. They're spinning harder, and
it's just harder to pick up. So I think, you know,
Triple A guys, guys have multiple pitches.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
But I just what I found was the stuff the
Vila wasn't what I saw in the big league.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
So that was the biggest adjustment, and for me, just
fine tune in my swing, simplifying as much as I
can to give myself the best chances.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was important for me this offseason.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
What is your biggest grind this off season to get ready?
What's the I know there's a lot of things. Everybody
wants to get better up. But if there's one thing
you said that's gonna sustain me, is there one at
the top of the list for you?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
I think just my ability to put the bat on
the ball as consistent as I can, and I think
the frame is there and natural power is going to
be there. Just ability to just to get the barrel
to the ball as much as often as often as
I can is important for me.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
So defensively, where are you most comfortable third base, first base,
or does it even matter?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
You're gonna do whatever for the team.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Yeah, honestly, man, I just want to make myself available
every everywhere. But growing up playing a short side my
whole life presents a huge benefit for me.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I played at short.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Stop at Ohio State, and uh, when I got drafted,
kind of moved to become a more of a quarter guy.
But playing short stop, man, I feel like ability to
do that and then I can go anywhere else from there.
So I forget you're in Ohio State. Yeah, I think football.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Man, did you go?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
I was at the game and they were there, such
a such a cool experience for me and me and myself,
my boys played ball with we were there and got
to experience that win.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Man, it was so cool.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Think about the adversity of the Ryan day right, yeah,
I mean after the Michigan game, they wanted him run
out and the guy only wins ten or eleven games
a year, right, Yeah, they just wanted to win that one,
and they win a national time.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And then how they turned it on, you know, complex
because they they literally they dismantled the postseason.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
And we said all along at the beginning, that was
the most gifted team in the.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Country, no doubt, and.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
It showed up at the most important time. So that
had to be a thrill for you to sit there
and watch, like you said, some of the fellas do
their thing.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah, dude, kudos to kudos to Ryan Day. Man.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
I've always been a huge supporter and just a fan
of him in general. And after that Michigan game, people
wanted them fired and stuff, and I'm like, let's not
switch up now, you know what I mean. I think
we still have a great chance opportunity in the playoffs
here to do something special. And his ability to turn
things around and through all the adversity was something special.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
And I'm Texas will never run a slow suite toss
in a game again, so they outrun them.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
No, no, they want dude, that Jeremiah Smith. That kid
is a Do you see the report?
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Five mil either after five million dollars a transfer.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Hey, come on, man, speed and talent hills get paid.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It does, doesn't it. I'm not you know.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
As we get back to baseball, go back to some
Big ten baseball play. A lot of people talk about
the Big Let's be real, not a lot of people
talk about the Big Ten when it comes to baseball.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
You don't think of Penn State. You don't think of
Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
You don't think of Michigan outside.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I didn't Barry Larkin play baseball? Larkin went to Molar High School.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Uh, and he did?
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I think Barry was at Michigan. I think it was
a Michigan guy.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, so outside of a couple of guys here and there.
Obviously you've been in Ohio state.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
What was he a Notre Dame guy Mike Clark and
his brother. Yeah, well I came in my time. Was
Notre Dame? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I think it was in Michigan.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
He's from Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
He went to Moher High School.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
What was it like playing at that at Ohio State?
Speaker 4 (06:37):
I had a really good experience at a high state
and four year guy there all four years? Okay, Yeah,
COVID gave me an extra one if I wanted to
got drafted in twenty two over my fourth year. But man,
great four years at Ohio State. Can't say enough about
the program and just the school in general. So yeah,
it's good, good time.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
The motivation this year, the I don't want to say there,
but when you first come in here, lights are big
and you got to adjust. Is there a different mindset
for you coming in? You talked about the mindset of
getting the back to the ball, but the overall mindset
of a what you plan on is a full season
grind for you. Overall mindset and dealing with being a
professional baseball player on a regular basis.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Last year, you know, I got a taste of the
big leagues, uh, and I got my fair share of opportunity.
This year, the mindset is to go and go and
earn an everyday spot, and that's what I want to do.
I want to be an everyday guy and go work
my butt off to do that. So that's the mindset, man.
I got to earn it though. You know, a lot
of guys, especially you know, in the outfield this year
there's I think coach just spot A, you know, made
(07:39):
it clear that there's.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Some great competition, some competition, some roles to be earned.
So I'm all about that. Excited to get down to Florida. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
So, so as we inched closer to you getting down
to Florida, was there anything that you did this off season?
Did you did you tweak any kind of mechanics in
your swing, did you change up your program at all,
anything like that.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
For the most part, you know, it's business as usual
for me.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
I I am putting more work into the outfield, into
the outfield, so just getting more more work in with
my with my steps, with my routs, just my first
step and stuff like that. So working in the outfield
a little bit more this year than than an offseasons passed.
And then swing wise, man, just just shortening compact and things,
knowing like I said earlier, the power is going to
(08:23):
be there, So just compacting the swing and being as
consistent as I can with that.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So both corner outfields, both corner infields. If you had
a preference in the corner outfield or are you more
comfortable seeing the bat off the ball?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
You know, I feel comfortable anywhere. I don't think I
have a preference.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I would say, you know, most of my reps have
come from left field. I got some reps, some games
and Triple A and left and then I went to
Puerto Rico for winter ball.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
This year I played only left field right.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Field, So left field Puerto Rico.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Yeah, but you know, for my ability to play left
hand right I think is still there.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So awesome.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I feel like every time I saw a highlight of
you down to Puerto Rico, you you did pretty well, man.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
You were raking down there. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
How was experience we asked Jeremy about growing up in
Port or excuse me, Dominican Republic. Yeah, but you know
the Latin Americans, man, like, what they go through to
get to this level is insane.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
So what was that experience like for you?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
It's different, man, The culture, the baseball, the love for
the game is different, man.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And it really opened my eyes.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Those guys love to play, and I think they're just
happy to be there, happy to be on the field.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And I learned a lot from those guys. Man. Puerto
Rico was a great experience for me.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
I was there for about a month and I grew
my game, I grew my Spanish a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So it was great, man, it was awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Hey. I asked Jeremy Payin you this, and I want
to ask you the same thing. Outside of your family.
If you had to pick up the call of baseball
wives and you had to make one call, I don't
care if it's to your third grade coach, one call
outside of your family that you're looking for insight. Trust
somebody to set you to get your game ripe, and
(09:53):
you needed somebody's words of wisdom.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Who is it? That's a good question, man, I think uh.
I played four years under a guy named Matt Engele.
He was my hitting coach at Ohio State and he
uh former big leaguer with the Orioles. I go to him,
I hit with him in the off seasons. He's my guy.
We've he's he's helped me tremendously in my career and
taught me a lot.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
So he's got he's gonna be my ghost.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
He says that you trust it.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
He actually just took a job with the with the
the Guardian's triple A hitting coach.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So he's back in the game. It's been a couple
of years. Un happy for him. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Well, Zach As we wrap up with you, just Sean
and I are gonna be rooting for you.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I'm telling you when when we've talked on our show,
we've talked about you probably all year long. Man, So
we hope that uh, you have a good spring training
and you find your way up to the big leagues
again this year, mis sir, Man.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Yeah, we're used to people walking to our studio and
even if we say something to somebody, Man, I like
just being honest. Yeah, nobody's whooping us you walk in.
We're gonna be really nice to do man.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, there's not. I don't find a lot of people
that are bigger than me. I don't enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Man.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Yeah, Well, we appreciate you and good luck.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
To you if if if you decide you want a
career change. There's some teams looking for Edge Russian's dog.
Yeah you got I think you chose the right sports though.
That's the astros As. Oh hey, hold on, hold on
real quick. Your favorite movie is Benchwarmers.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
All time favorite man all time favorite.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
This guy in the movie.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
They're talking about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, So.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
I'll make it if I catch you one time.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
You know, struck him out twice with a.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Guy at second, I'm gonna catch you.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Hey, he's now my favorite player all the time.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I knew there was a reason why we always talked
about him.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Maybe I got snubbed for Best Supporting the comedy role.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
We gotta get that for you.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Don't worry you were that's Astrosfielder Zacht Dezenzel.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Let's get to break here on seven ninety
Come on, man, they're growing these guys like uh outside
linebackers go Zach shouts house, Come on man.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Come on.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
One of my one of my biggest hate, one of
my biggest hates. You wait, a guy who could play
multiple do it all hits for power. Woltz is in
like he's like I had to do, like I had
to throw against a guy like him coming.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Off the edge. Yeah, they playing, Hey what are you? Six? Five?
About two thirty about two thirty five? Right now? Sixty?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Ye you warning track power right?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hey? Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
His uh, his first big league home run was over
the Green Monster against your red So I remember.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
That one lifelong socks. So I tell you many fenways.
You know, I love it here. But when you go, oh, well,
how was first trip there? It was aside from the
home and what was it like walking into the building.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yeah, so I debuted in Arlington against the Raineers and
straight to Boston from there, man, it was. It was
just a whirlwind of emotions walking into Boston. What a
historic park and to get my first one there was
such a blessed.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I got some family there too, basically the left the monsters.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so you got to go in and
sign the Green Monster, that whole, uh whole, the nostalgic
thing that they do.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Yeah, first thing I did almost when when I got
there was was go sign the wall.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
So it was it really did you did?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Were you giddy? I mean you're so young, I mean
it really had to be. You got to focus on
because you're up. Do you want to impress? But still
it's Fenway play.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
I had to be pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Didn't you feel like going playing Augusta the first time
in golf? Wasn't it?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Similar for a baseball guy.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
I would think so yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Or when you go to Wrigley, Wrigley the old Yankee
Stadium and in uh Fenway, So those are the two
old not nostalgic buildings in Major League Baseball. Man, that's
that's pretty cool. So I got to ask you, man,
just just full transparency.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Did you hear all.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Of the uh the high expectations for you last year?
Do we talked about you on our show all the
time by you coming up? We have a guy that
listens to us and calls Ronnie always asks about the
minor leagues, and you were tearing it up. It was
you low per feedo Jacob Melton. Everybody was just clamoring
for you to be brought up. Did you hear that
or did you just kind of staying there what he.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Did all the time we got done with everybody.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Everybody did. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Well, I first and foremost I appreciate that from you guys.
I had a pretty good twenty twenty three season, my
first full year in the organization. Coming into twenty four,
had a little bit of an injury, so I you know,
I was rehabbing earlier that year, and I just you know,
kept putting my put my my head down and working
and trust of the process, and yeah, sure enough, I
(02:27):
found myself in the big leagues a couple of months
after getting back to play.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, it was. It was such a bust as well.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Okay, what's the toughest part about sustaining great play as
a major leaguer.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Yeah, I think it's just the ability to day in
and day out, like overcome and get past all the adversity,
all the failure that you're gonna go through, just showing
up being the same person every day.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And that's the long season man.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
One hundred and sixty two games and ability to be
the same guy, show up every day, no matter the circumstances.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Is I think super key.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah, because like a high school you know, you know,
to try to get a guy out is like him is.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, so's a lot of success.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Then you go up there and yeah, you gotta have
the same set in but except the fact that it's
just you're not gonna hit five hundred, right, amazing.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
What's the biggest difference This may sound like a dumb question,
biggest difference between big league pitching and Triple A pitching?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, man, I felt it right away.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Just the stuff, you know, the stuff guys are throwing harder,
their off speeds are are spinning. They're spinning harder, and
it's just harder to pick up. So I think, you know,
Triple A guys, guys have multiple pitches.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
But I just what I found was the stuff the
Vila wasn't what I saw in the big league.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
So that was the biggest adjustment, and for me, just
fine tune in my swing, simplifying as much as I
can to give myself the best chances.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was important for me this offseason.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
What is your biggest grind this off season to get ready?
What's the I know there's a lot of things. Everybody
wants to get better up. But if there's one thing
you said that's gonna sustain me, is there one at
the top of the list for you?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
I think just my ability to put the bat on
the ball as consistent as I can, and I think
the frame is there and natural power is going to
be there. Just ability to just to get the barrel
to the ball as much as often as often as
I can is important for me.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
So defensively, where are you most comfortable third base, first base,
or does it even matter?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
You're gonna do whatever for the team.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Yeah, honestly, man, I just want to make myself available
every everywhere. But growing up playing a short side my
whole life presents a huge benefit for me.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I played at short.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Stop at Ohio State, and uh, when I got drafted,
kind of moved to become a more of a quarter guy.
But playing short stop, man, I feel like ability to
do that and then I can go anywhere else from there.
So I forget you're in Ohio State. Yeah, I think football.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Man, did you go?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
I was at the game and they were there, such
a such a cool experience for me and me and myself,
my boys played ball with we were there and got
to experience that win.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Man, it was so cool.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Think about the adversity of the Ryan day right, yeah,
I mean after the Michigan game, they wanted him run
out and the guy only wins ten or eleven games
a year, right, Yeah, they just wanted to win that one,
and they win a national time.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And then how they turned it on, you know, complex
because they they literally they dismantled the postseason.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
And we said all along at the beginning, that was
the most gifted team in the.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Country, no doubt, and.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
It showed up at the most important time. So that
had to be a thrill for you to sit there
and watch, like you said, some of the fellas do
their thing.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah, dude, kudos to kudos to Ryan Day. Man.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
I've always been a huge supporter and just a fan
of him in general. And after that Michigan game, people
wanted them fired and stuff, and I'm like, let's not
switch up now, you know what I mean. I think
we still have a great chance opportunity in the playoffs
here to do something special. And his ability to turn
things around and through all the adversity was something special.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
And I'm Texas will never run a slow suite toss
in a game again, so they outrun them.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
No, no, they want dude, that Jeremiah Smith. That kid
is a Do you see the report?
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Five mil either after five million dollars a transfer.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Hey, come on, man, speed and talent hills get paid.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It does, doesn't it. I'm not you know.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
As we get back to baseball, go back to some
Big ten baseball play. A lot of people talk about
the Big Let's be real, not a lot of people
talk about the Big Ten when it comes to baseball.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
You don't think of Penn State. You don't think of
Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
You don't think of Michigan outside.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I didn't Barry Larkin play baseball? Larkin went to Molar High School.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Uh, and he did?
Speaker 2 (06:19):
I think Barry was at Michigan. I think it was
a Michigan guy.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, so outside of a couple of guys here and there.
Obviously you've been in Ohio state.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
What was he a Notre Dame guy Mike Clark and
his brother. Yeah, well I came in my time. Was
Notre Dame? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I think it was in Michigan.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
He's from Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
He went to Moher High School.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
What was it like playing at that at Ohio State?
Speaker 4 (06:37):
I had a really good experience at a high state
and four year guy there all four years? Okay, Yeah,
COVID gave me an extra one if I wanted to
got drafted in twenty two over my fourth year. But man,
great four years at Ohio State. Can't say enough about
the program and just the school in general. So yeah,
it's good, good time.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
The motivation this year, the I don't want to say there,
but when you first come in here, lights are big
and you got to adjust. Is there a different mindset
for you coming in? You talked about the mindset of
getting the back to the ball, but the overall mindset
of a what you plan on is a full season
grind for you. Overall mindset and dealing with being a
professional baseball player on a regular basis.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Last year, you know, I got a taste of the
big leagues, uh, and I got my fair share of opportunity.
This year, the mindset is to go and go and
earn an everyday spot, and that's what I want to do.
I want to be an everyday guy and go work
my butt off to do that. So that's the mindset, man.
I got to earn it though. You know, a lot
of guys, especially you know, in the outfield this year
there's I think coach just spot A, you know, made
(07:39):
it clear that there's.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Some great competition, some competition, some roles to be earned.
So I'm all about that. Excited to get down to Florida. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
So, so as we inched closer to you getting down
to Florida, was there anything that you did this off season?
Did you did you tweak any kind of mechanics in
your swing, did you change up your program at all,
anything like that.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
For the most part, you know, it's business as usual
for me.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
I I am putting more work into the outfield, into
the outfield, so just getting more more work in with
my with my steps, with my routs, just my first
step and stuff like that. So working in the outfield
a little bit more this year than than an offseasons passed.
And then swing wise, man, just just shortening compact and things,
knowing like I said earlier, the power is going to
(08:23):
be there, So just compacting the swing and being as
consistent as I can with that.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So both corner outfields, both corner infields. If you had
a preference in the corner outfield or are you more
comfortable seeing the bat off the ball?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
You know, I feel comfortable anywhere. I don't think I
have a preference.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
I would say, you know, most of my reps have
come from left field. I got some reps, some games
and Triple A and left and then I went to
Puerto Rico for winter ball.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
This year I played only left field right.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Field, So left field Puerto Rico.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Yeah, but you know, for my ability to play left
hand right I think is still there.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
So awesome.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I feel like every time I saw a highlight of
you down to Puerto Rico, you you did pretty well, man.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
You were raking down there. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
How was experience we asked Jeremy about growing up in
Port or excuse me, Dominican Republic. Yeah, but you know
the Latin Americans, man, like, what they go through to
get to this level is insane.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
So what was that experience like for you?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
It's different, man, The culture, the baseball, the love for
the game is different, man.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And it really opened my eyes.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Those guys love to play, and I think they're just
happy to be there, happy to be on the field.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And I learned a lot from those guys. Man. Puerto
Rico was a great experience for me.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
I was there for about a month and I grew
my game, I grew my Spanish a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So it was great, man, it was awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Hey. I asked Jeremy Payin you this, and I want
to ask you the same thing. Outside of your family.
If you had to pick up the call of baseball
wives and you had to make one call, I don't
care if it's to your third grade coach, one call
outside of your family that you're looking for insight. Trust
somebody to set you to get your game ripe, and
(09:53):
you needed somebody's words of wisdom.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
Who is it? That's a good question, man, I think uh.
I played four years under a guy named Matt Engele.
He was my hitting coach at Ohio State and he
uh former big leaguer with the Orioles. I go to him,
I hit with him in the off seasons. He's my guy.
We've he's he's helped me tremendously in my career and
taught me a lot.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
So he's got he's gonna be my ghost.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
He says that you trust it.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
He actually just took a job with the with the
the Guardian's triple A hitting coach.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
So he's back in the game. It's been a couple
of years. Un happy for him. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Well, Zach As we wrap up with you, just Sean
and I are gonna be rooting for you.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
I'm telling you when when we've talked on our show,
we've talked about you probably all year long. Man, So
we hope that uh, you have a good spring training
and you find your way up to the big leagues
again this year, mis sir, Man.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Yeah, we're used to people walking to our studio and
even if we say something to somebody, Man, I like
just being honest. Yeah, nobody's whooping us you walk in.
We're gonna be really nice to do man.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yeah, there's not. I don't find a lot of people
that are bigger than me. I don't enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Man.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Yeah, Well, we appreciate you and good luck.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
To you if if if you decide you want a
career change. There's some teams looking for Edge Russian's dog.
Yeah you got I think you chose the right sports though.
That's the astros As. Oh hey, hold on, hold on
real quick. Your favorite movie is Benchwarmers.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
All time favorite man all time favorite.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
This guy in the movie.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
They're talking about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, So.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
I'll make it if I catch you one time.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
You know, struck him out twice with a.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Guy at second, I'm gonna catch you.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Hey, he's now my favorite player all the time.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I knew there was a reason why we always talked
about him.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Maybe I got snubbed for Best Supporting the comedy role.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
We gotta get that for you.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Don't worry you were that's Astrosfielder Zacht Dezenzel.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Let's get to break here on seven ninety
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