Get to Know Tyler Naquin
Outfielder Tyler Naquin, the Indians first-round pick and the 15th overall pick of the 2012 MLB Draft, signed with the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Naquin, 21, has completed his junior year of college at Texas A&M University and will report to Mahoning Valley on Monday to begin his minor league career.
TV: What was your proudest moment of your college career?
TN: Making it to the World Series my sophomore year was a pretty unexplainable experience. It was a big deal working hard with those guys all season, and being able to help bring a team there was definitely appealing.
TV: Where were you on draft day?
TN: I was in College Station (TX) at my assistant high school coach’s house, a duplex house, and I got a couple family members in there with him and his wife. We had the TV going, just eating. We had my grandma, she cooked some chicken and dumplings, so we were just having a good time, hoping that my name would be called.
TV: Did you request that meal?
TN: No, that’s a Grandma special right there.
TV: Did you have any idea which team might draft you or in what round you might be drafted?
TN: I had a pretty good idea that I could possibly go on the first day, if not in the supplemental round. I had no idea what team or anything. I could fall anywhere with the draft; it happens weird. I wasn’t expecting anything.
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TV: What was going through your head when the Indians drafted you?
TN: Just really emotional. You don’t really know what to say.
TV: How many phone calls and text messages did you receive?
TN: I think I had 142 text messages at one point and about 35 missed calls.
TV: Was there someone whom you called first?
TN: All my immediate family was right there, but my high school coach was the first one that called me, other than [scout] Kyle Van Hook who called me and told me congratulations.
TV: Is there anything you want the fans to know about you?
TN: I really just am going to play as hard as I can and try to get up to the major leagues as soon as possible.
TV: Describe your style of play.
TN: Fast, aggressive, getting extra-base hits, and in the outfield, just trying to make big plays in order to stop the running game.
TV: Do you try to model your game after a current outfielder?
TN: I’d say a little bit like [Red Sox centerfielder] Jacoby Ellsbury in certain ways. He’s smooth in the outfield for sure, and he’s fast. At the plate, he’s not a real big guy, but he does get a lot of extra-base hits and can hit them out of the yard as well.
TV: Have you set any goals for the future?
TN: Just keep playing hard, working hard; I live by that. Just playing as hard as I can every day, and good things will keep coming.
