LTVN’s Claire-Marie Scott talks about a new edition to the Bears’ coaching staff.
“We’ve been calling him Master Oogway, like from Kung Fu Panda, because he’s just full of wisdom,” redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Cole Stasio said. “He’s been amazing so far, and the guys have all just clung to him. It’s been pretty cool to see what he’s done already.”
When head coach Mitch Thompson brought in Snedeker in the summer, former players flooded social media with support. Looking to elevate the team, his coaching style, which rubbed off on MLB stars, has already made an impression on current players.
“Confidence is a huge thing, no matter where you’re at or what you’re doing. And that’s part of my job is to instill confidence, but the confidence comes from results. I can tell them how good they are, but until they see that tangible evidence, there’s always those doubts,” Snedeker said. “Pitching is tough. It’s not as tough as hitting, but pitching is tough. So, I’ve really tried to simplify this from an approach standpoint.”
Snedeker’s approach to pitching has translated to more than 60 pitchers he’s worked with at the college level who later went pro. So far, the 31-year veteran has preached a strike-throwing mentality that sets the foundation for later development. Although throwing strikes sounds basic in theory, the approach sets the baseline for building on complexity and game planning.
Leaning on the strike zone has created confidence and a mantra surrounding “positive self-talk,” as described by Snedeker.
“I want our guys to be the predator and not the prey, you know, to be on the attack, to force hitters to put the ball in play. Then, as you do that, the counts start to roll in your favor, and now you’ve got a chance to punch guys out. And we’ve got plenty of talent, plenty of depth to be really good on the mound.”
The green and gold finished with the highest earned run average (6.51) in the Big 12, second highest batting average against (.284) and recorded the second-fewest strikeouts (450). But Snedeker isn’t going to let the past define the future.
“I know in the past, Baylor struggled a little bit on the mound, and I’m here to try to right the ship. This certainly is not about me. It’s about the guys in the uniform. But I see enough from these guys that we have here to have more than enough to be super competitive in this league,” Snedeker said. “And even better, I don’t even like to try to predict things, but I’m expecting big things out of this pitching staff.”
Senior catcher Cortlan Castle has been behind the dish and at the plate against Baylor’s pitching staff his entire college career, and he’s already noticed the difference Snedeker is making in intrasquad scrimmages.
“It’s been tough for the hitters so far because these guys are commanding the zone and throwing pitches where they want them,” Castle said. “From a catching perspective, it’s been great and it’s been fun to work with all those guys. From the hitting perspective, those guys have been tough to face. So it’s been a competitive offseason.”
During his coaching career, Snedeker has worked with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox organizations and served as a pitching coach at several collegiate programs. So, as the veteran steps into a new role with Baylor, the goal remains the same: Have success in the present to thrive in the future.
“My job is to help them have success, and I take that seriously. There are a lot of guys here that are talented enough to play professionally, and my task is to help them achieve that. But my first goal is to win here at Baylor,” Snedeker said. “I want to do whatever I can to help these guys have success here at Baylor. And if I can do that on a daily basis and develop that trust, then I know that the pro ball thing will take place.”
Baylor baseball will continue to host free-to-the-public intrasquad games throughout the fall at Baylor Ballpark.
