Kailen Hargenrader '23 Recruiting Profile

College is the place to push yourself, both academically and athletically, and I see large overlap in what is necessary to succeed in both. I break down math problems to understand how they work just like I break down my pitching mechanics to understand why I'm throwing strikes. Therefore, I'm looking to play for a competitive team in an academically competitive school. 

What do I bring to a team? Of course I bring clutch hits (I've got a walkoff grandslam on my record already) and shutouts, but who doesn't? The fact of the matter is that your not always going to be the best player, or even the best team on the ball field, and you will be out hit and out pitched sometimes, but that doesn't mean you can't compete and win. I believe that competition starts off the field, in how seriously you throw during bull pens or hit during cage sessions. I'm a big fan of visualizing myself in game situation because it brings the clutch and intensity out of me, and you can bet money I'm the first one in and last one out of the workout facility.

By the time I step on the mound I know I'm ready to pitch to anyone who walks to the plate, bring Mike Trout up for all I care. And I compete no matter what. If my teammate makes an error and lets up a run, in my mind that run is on me, and that motivates me to put more K's in the books.

Am I a leader? When my team needs me to pick them up then I lead, but its important to be a leader and a follower. If everyone is competing for leadership, then the team isn't functioning as a team, its just a group of individuals who don't work together, and errors are bound to happen. But when my team is down I bring the energy. This past season my team started on a losing record, so the next game my coach bat me leadoff and I hit a leadoff double, we scored 4 runs that inning. Combined with the 5 innings I threw, giving up only 1 run, we ended up winning the game. 

If your a college coach reading this and you've been nodding your head the whole way, shoot me a quick email cause I will do anything to get on your team. If you need me throwing 85-90 off the bump, I will put all my effort, from now until the day I step on your college campus, into throwing harder.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for your time.