None of this is possible without
@DaneFujinaka
taking a chance on a 23 y/o with no coaching experience to lead his hitters.
All the accolades aside, I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys and a more memorable season.
4 things I learned in my first year coaching:
@HigazRich
|| Hitting Coach
In just his 1st year, Sharks led the PacWest in numerous offensive categories this season (Hits, BBs, K rate, Triples, Stolen Bases). Topped off with 7 position player All Conference selections, which was the most in the PacWest.
#KeehiBuilt
It was also Hauck’s last outing of his baseball career, and his best start of his career for us. He carried us to a win and knocked our conference rival out of postseason play. One of my most memorable games to be a part of for sure!
Sometimes we need to take a step back and realize just how far we’ve really come.
Thank you
@DrivelineBB
and everyone there for an incredible summer, can’t wait for these last few weeks!
(btw,
@JPFasone1
is a dope trainer 💪🏽)
Thank you
@DrivelineBB
, for everything. All the summers spent with you all were worth every sacrifice and investment, and I hope I can make you all proud of the player you helped me become.
Excited to attend my first
@ABCA1945
convention this year! Looking forward to meeting new people within the baseball world, as well as seeing some old friends 🤙🏽
#Keehiboys
💣SQUAD
2022 Fall Ball: 7 weekends, 7 home runs
2023 Fall Ball: 4 weekends, 9 home runs 📈📈📈
Hitting is fun. Hitting the ball hard is also fun. Been a blast watching the
@HPU_BSB
hitters getting after it, and the progress seen is a testament to their hard work!
#Keehiboys
💣 SQUAD - Spring ‘24, Week 1:
#33
Daniel Johnson (2) (2 Overall)
#10
Chase Taylor (2) (2 Overall)
#24
Ian Wolski (1) (1 Overall)
#3
Skyler Agnew (1) (Overall)
Who’s 💣 got the loudest crowd reaction? (I say
#33
, who has already tied his XBH total from last szn 👀)
Very proud of this group
@HPU_BSB
for taking the series and sweeping APU for the first time in program history!
The bats were hot all weekend, scoring 31 runs on 52 hits over the 4-game series💥
Offensive series highlights:
From being cut from one of the worst intermediate (grades 7-8) school teams, to beginning my first official college baseball season.
In the end, nobody really does care how you got here, you just have to keep grinding.
But for some, the path was difficult.
Prospective hitters who are looking into our program:
Linked below is a thread on our Y2Y improvements from 2023-2024, and I’ll also be covering some individual player improvements to dive in a little deeper 🤙🏽
College ⚾️ in Hawaii🏝️🦈!?
Needs for fall:
C
1B
SS
P
*w/ college experience
Our culture - obsessed w/ winning, developing, and being a part of a family.
Record by year
‘22 (17-27)
‘23 (20-27)
‘24 (30-22)
DM video & link to college stats, GPA
🧵⬇️ PLEASE READ BEFORE DM ME
Pro 🦈 Midseason update:
Through his first 13 games, Kota Suzuki is slashing .326/.404/.435/.839 with 2 2Bs, HR, 11 RBIs, and only 5 Ks in 53 PA 🔥🔥🔥
Also pitching in two outfield assists 👀
@HPU_BSB
@HawaiianScout
@mlbdraftleague
Couldn’t have asked for a better way to end my time at HPU as both a player and student. Thank you to every person who has helped me along the way! Onto the next journey ❤️
Thank you
@DaneFujinaka
for believing in me and allowing me to help positively impact this program, in an even greater way than I was able to as a player.
I wouldn’t be where I’m at without everyone
@HPU_BSB
, and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish in 2024 🤙🏽
We are fortunate to say the least. All I need to say is that
@HigazRich
is special. One of the brightest people I’ve been around. When it comes to player development, he is next level. 🦈📈
Looking back at our season, I’m so proud of this team for everything we were able to accomplish. We had:
- No head coach coming into the fall (player-led practices on our own for a month)
- Lost ace pitcher before the season started
(1/3)
With
@DrivelineBB
Traq, the Sharks will now be able to integrate all of our data and information into one place:
- Rapsodo
- Blast Motion
- Driveline Pulse
- Daily hitting/pitching routines
- Film
- Lifts
Less time processing info, more time helping the boys get after it! 🤙🏽
(1/6) 2024
@HPU_BSB
Offense Recap ⏳:
With this memorable season now in the books for the Sharks, I'd like to create a thread with some notable achievements by the offense, as well as additional Y2Y player improvements.
Starting with the overall offense ⬇️:
As a now-former college baseball player and current coach, it’s still very enjoyable to have some performance goals to work towards. Gonna start a thread on my
#roadto90
before our alumni game in February utilizing
@DrivelineBB
protocols, Pulse, and plyo velo calculator 📈:
Team Aloha Tower intentionally walked the winning run on base, which brought up
@hh_cinco
.
He took that personally.
Walk-off double to win the game and clinch the 2023 Fall World Series❗️
Watch out for those
#keehiboys
this spring 👀
Crazy excited about the group of dogs we will have this fall, both incoming and returners.
Shoutout to
@HigazRich
for putting this class together! You’re an animal 🤙🏼🦈
#KeehiBuilt
Hitting plyo balls with a skinny bat is a fun and incredibly frustrating way to train bat to ball skills.
This combo gives immediate bat path, contact quality and smash factor feedback.
@RPrigatano
making it look easy with one of the new wood trainers 👀
3 years ago, Noah and I started the season on the bench together. By end of season, I had put together the best offensive season of my career, also while witnessing one of the best freshman seasons I’ve ever seen.
Now we get a chance to run it back 🫡⛳️
@NoahBlythe_
I only got to know you for a summer and I don't know why it's only hitting me now but I miss you bro, so much. It feels like yesterday you were hitting tanks and running like a gazelle around the bases.
Rest in peace Gunner, helmet bro for life ❤🙏😔
Huge team effort for
@HPU_BSB
sweeping the opening weekend, going 4-0 💥
The
#keehiboys
scored 37 runs, using a complete offensive approach to get the job done. Some highlights ⏳:
@Tstokey
Probably one of the coolest additions to training at driveline. That, and the PR/90mph/100mph shirts. Incentive plays 😂😂 I was a happy guy that day
@AndrewAydt
Sharks were relentless today:
7 XBH, along with 10 2-strike hits. From top to bottom in our lineup, the guys competed for every pitch and every at-bat throughout the game. Excited to see them back in action tomorrow 🤙🏽
@HPU_BSB
Indv. Recap:
@NickJio
⏳
Jio bursted onto the scene in 2022, earning 1st Team all-conf. in his first full season. After facing some dips in production 2023, Jio came back for one last year in 2024, finishing his career as one of the best 2B's in the Pacwest.
The plan:
DEREK CLARK 132 PITCHES 8K🚨
The 5’9 190lbs lefty who was a D2 All-American last year is leaving everything on the field tonight. Absolute bulldog on the mound with an arm made of rubber 🔥
RIDE THE WAVE 📈🦈
Despite facing a series sweep against the
#5
ranked team in the nation, with the tying or go-ahead run at the plate in three of those four games, the Sharks were able to finish the road trip above .500, going 5-0 in the their last five games (1/3)
Make that 5 Weekends, 11 💣
Chase Taylor 💣
#3
on the fall:
104mph/20deg/375ft
Ian Wolski 💣
#1
on the fall:
96mph/31deg/350ft
#keehiboys
continuing to swing it!
@HPU_BSB
#Keehiboys
💣SQUAD - Spring ‘24 Road Trip pt. 2:
With 2 outs, 2K, bases loaded, Noah Hata (1) (3 overall) belted this grand slam to put us ahead in extras and spark a 3-1 series win. This kept postseason hopes alive as we move into the last 4 conference games of the season.
Even though I was undersized and less talented than most of my peers at a young age, my dad never doubted me or tore me down for my lack of ability. He believed in me more than I believed in myself sometimes and that’s something I’ll never forget.
Don’t be a dream killer
If a player is undersized, missing tools, etc but dreams of a college/pro career, I’m not going highlight their deficiencies or the long odds
I’m going talk about the the work ahead, the systems & habits that need to be built to make their dreams reality
@HPU_BSB
Indv. Recap: Kota Suzuki ⏳
Despite being the conf. Newcomer of the Year and 2nd team all-conf. in 2023, Suzuki came back in 2024 wanting more.
He finished 2024 as a 1st team all-conf. selection, setting career highs in almost every offensive category (👀)
The plan:
(1/6) 2024
@HPU_BSB
Offense Recap ⏳:
With this memorable season now in the books for the Sharks, I'd like to create a thread with some notable achievements by the offense, as well as additional Y2Y player improvements.
Starting with the overall offense ⬇️:
@HPU_BSB
And the 💣’s just keep coming!
With two more in the past week, the
#keehiboys
have tied the 2023 spring season with 13 home runs in only 52.8% of the plate appearances.
Haydon Huff 💣
#2
:
Chase Taylor 💣
#4
:
@HPU_BSB
Why a high bat speed ceiling is important ⬇️
If a player’s batted ball EV distribution is more consistent with a ~80-90% intent swing, then raising their ceiling will allow them to swing at sup-maximal intent to produce more consistently valuable batted balls
Kota is now the 2nd Japanese-born player to play in the
@mlbdraftleague
, after Stanford’s Rintaro Sasaki debuted this summer.
Super fortunate to be a small part creating more opportunities for players from all over the world to play professional baseball 💯
While hard work does not guaranteed results, it does feel nice when you know that you earned something because of it, even if it is something as small as a book scholarship through baseball.
Walk on ➡ scholarship player 😬
9/16/2023:
Didn’t feel great today, but still threw off the bump and got after it!
Got a partner to be a part of the goal chasing with me:
Ritchie (Hitting Coach):
86-87 T87
Skyler (Strength Coach):
83-85 T85
That 90 piece is coming soon 👀
Alongside an offensive outburst,
@HPU_BSB
pitching staff put together a strong weekend, with contributions from many new Sharks, as well as some old faces ⏳:
Forever thankful for this award and for everyone who supported me on this journey. I’m proud of myself for never giving up, and for continuing to put the work in day in and day out.
Some notable stats from my season⬇️
𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐍 🔒
Tom Grassel INF Coach
Brian Zablan OF Coach
In Grassel’s 1st year w/ HPU, Sharks INFs turned a league high 40 DPs and 473 assists. Every starting infielder earned an All Conf Award this year
Sharks had a .971 FLD%, the best in program history
#KeehiBuilt
The harder you hit the ball, the higher and lower you can hit it with success.
Manny Machado hit the hardest homerun of the year last night with an exit velocity of 119.6 MPH.
This was also the lowest hit homerun of the year with a launch angle of 15°.
Skye: Well, we're about to get run ruled (15-1, bottom 5th, 15 run-rule comes into effect after 5th)
Me: Nah we're probably gonna win still
Skye: We gotta slug our way out of this then
Me: What's new honestly
😂😂😂
@skyeharnly3
Last night was quite a way to wrap up the 2018 season!
-With the Bombers forcing a second game, both teams went into the contest short on pitching. After being down 15-1 in the 5th, the Bombers refused to quit as they climb back in dramatic fashion to win the tournament 20-19
✅ Morning beach yoga
✅ Mental Performance Training
✅ Spike ball conditioning
✅ The most beautiful place in the 🌎
Why would you not want to come to HPU!? 🦈
#OnePercent
With this being the start of my last week at driveline, I think it’s a good time to once again quote tweet this video that changed the course of my life. Always a great listen.
“Excellence is mundane.”
"Your bat speed and EV only needs to be high enough to check the box"
"You don't get more runs for hitting it further over the fence"
👎
Most people overestimate how many balls are squared up. Most HRs are miss hit balls with plus bat speed. Acuna didn't miss this one, but...
This is what Elite speeds with a 37 oz handle loaded bat speed trainer look like
Whether you like it or not, Bat speed training is a damn good way to fight the aging curve.
In 2023, JDM put up his best average bat speed since 2019 and we’re still trending up 📈
Probably the best hitting session I’ve had this summer.
• Hit a EV PR of 108.9
• Had an Average EV of 99.3
• 22/27 balls were hit 95+ EV
• 18/27 balls were hit 99+ EV
• 6 hits over 400 feet
All off LH Sliders.
@DrivelineBB
@JPFasone1
@UNC_BearsBSB
🚨BREAKING NEWS
Our very own, Kota Suzuki has signed a professional contract with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the
@mlbdraftleague
Congratulations, Kota!
#KeehiBuilt
Determine areas to improve-> add drills/cues to make improvements -> create environments to challenge improvements -> go rake in-game with said improvements
#keehiboys
always up for the challenge
@HPU_BSB
Retweet x 1000
Being able to set posture to cover the outer half and then maintain it through rotation on an inside pitch is critical.
My theory is that is why ��look away, react in” works, BUT it still requires the hitter to actually learn how to pull the ball properly.
Coaches…once your athletes maintain posture over the plate for the outside pitch, see if they can adjust to the inside pitch.
Heston Kjerstad handles the inside fastball authentically.
It was a perfect, history making season opener for
@HPU_BSB
. Jack O'Brien threw a perfect game vs NAIA's Providence Christian in a 10-0 shutout. 7 IP, 10 K, just 80 pitches.
@_Danejah_
era begins with perfection.
📝
@c_shimabuku
👉🏼▪️
@HPUSharks
We're thrilled to officially welcome Assistant Coach 𝘿𝙮𝙡𝙖𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙧 to the YSU Baseball family ‼️
Moser served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Ave Maria University during the 2024 season!
📰 »
#GoGuins
🐧⚾️ |
@dylan_moser18