Baseball Beginnings

By John Klima
July 2, 2009

(photo: UA)

Brad Glenn has right-handed power to all fields, which you can’t miss, and was always going to be his ticket into professional baseball. The Tulsa native who played four years of college baseball in Tucson shook off a slow start to hit nine more home runs as a senior, capping his Arizona career with 43 home runs. Glenn turned down the Oakland A’s as a 17^th round pick in 2008. He returned to school to finish his degree and wound up falling to the 23th round in the 2009 draft, by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Glenn knows what notions he has to disprove and what facets he has to improve on as a pro. He only hit .256 this season for a  streaky Arizona team, and he struck out 55 times in 211 at-bats. He won’t light you up with OBP. His other tools won’t ring a door bell. But power always plays. If Glenn can find a way to consistently tap into that, he could find a way to hang around the game for a while.

Baseball Beginnings caught up with Glenn toward the end of the college baseball season and discussed the ups and downs of his bumpy college career, and how he hopes he can hone his power as a pro.

 
Baseball Beginnings: What was your situation last year? Did you feel like you were better than a 17^th round player? What was your thought process for coming back to Arizona for 2009?
Glenn: My thought process was that at the time, I wanted to get my degree and what (Oakland) offered me wasn’t enough to make me pass up getting the degree.

Baseball Beginnings: Did you feel you were better than a 17^th round pick?
Glenn: Yeah. I had some early struggles last year. I had wrist surgery in the late fall last year. I think I opened up the first 25 games or so hitting something like .192. That didn’t exactly help me. I don’t blame the clubs for not taking me higher, but it’s a thing where I decided I was better off coming back and having a better season.

Baseball Beginnings: How would you describe this year?
Glenn: That was last year. This year was a whole different story. I fell through a glass table in the fall and cut my hand open. I had some struggles this year from that. I’m just starting to feel a little healthy.

Baseball Beginnings: Do you feel like you’ve been evaluated accurately this spring?
Glenn: I mean, yeah, if you produce your numbers tell the story. I don’t blame the scouts for not taking me higher (in 2008).

Baseball Beginnings: Do you feel like you’re a better player now than you were a year ago?
Glenn: At the end of last year, the last half of the season I was probably the best I’ve ever been. I finished the last two months batting something like .385 with 12 home runs. It was incredible for anyone to do and I was happy to have a season finish like that after how it went in the first half. I felt that was the best I played in college. This year, I’ve had some struggles and haven’t found the same rhythm.

Baseball Beginnings: Did you go to the Cape (in summer 2008)?
Glenn: I went to the Cape after my sophomore year. Last summer, I didn’t play. I wanted to take time off.

Baseball Beginnings: Did you see it as a gamble to come back instead of signing?
Glenn:  I didn’t see it as a gamble. I really believed that getting the degree was so valuable. My coaches and my parents have taught me that. At this point, I wouldn’t care if somebody drafted me in the 50^th round, just as long as I get an opportunity. That’s all I need.

Baseball Beginnings: How would you describe your progress from the start of college baseball to the end of it?
Glenn: A lot of guys probably say the same thing, but it’s mental. I’m a stronger player in decisions on and off the field. That maturity level that you gain in four years of college experience is priceless.

Baseball Beginnings: One of the tags you’ll have to overcome in professional baseball is that you have power, but will you be able to have enough other tools to advance. Do you feel like you’re better at those areas now than you were a year ago?
Glenn: It’s kind of tough. I’ve played a bunch of different positions depending on who’s hot. I’ve played all four of the corner positions. Right now, I’m really comfortable in right field.

Baseball Beginnings: Is a corner outfield spot a good fit for you?
Glenn: I think so. A lot of clubs see me more as a left fielder just because I don’t have an absolute rocket for an arm. I’ve got a good enough arm to make good throws and throw guys out.

Baseball Beginnings: If you’re going to play in the big leagues as a left fielder, you’ve got to hit 20 home runs. Can you do that?
Glenn: Yes. I think I can. Actually, I know I can. It’s just a matter of finding my swing I’ve had over the past couple of years. I’ve lost it over these surgeries. But, you know, it’s a matter of finding it and taking it into pro ball when I get that opportunity.

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Categories: '09 Meet the Player
Tags: Arizona, Brad Glenn, Cape Cod League, Toronto Blue Jays