Mookie Betts: An Interview From the Vault

The Boston Red Sox haven’t had much go right with their team this year; leaving fans seeking positivity anywhere they can find it. Young prospects can be one source of optimism, especially when they turn into stars for the teams who draft, sign and cultivate them No better example of this exists then reigning 2018 American League MVP Mookie Betts. In 2012, he was just getting started in the minor leagues and took the time to chat with me about his burgeoning career while playing for the Lowell Spinners.

The smallish Betts (5’9, 180 pounds) was a three-sport high school star in Nashville, Tennessee, bowling and playing baseball and basketball, but after the right-handed hitter batted .509 as a senior his future was clearly in baseball. He had a scholarship to the University of Tennessee, but the Red Sox drafted him in the fifth round of the 2011 MLB Draft and he started his professional career instead.

After tearing through the minor leagues, Betts quickly developed into a star in the outfield in Boston. In addition to his MVP award, the team won the World Series last season. At 26, he is poised to lead the team into the future and only time will tell how much he is able to not only build on his legacy, but also that of the team.

Mookie Betts Interview:

Having grown up playing three sports (baseball, football, and basketball), how did you end up choosing baseball?: I just feel like it was my best opportunity. I liked playing basketball a lot but I’m too small for that, and baseball has been my love my whole life. I feel like I now have the best opportunity to make it to the top of this sport.

Did you have a favorite team or player when you were growing up?: Not really. I watched everybody and learned from everybody, and that’s how I learned how to play, really.

You had originally committed to the University of Tennessee… Were you going to play just baseball, or other sports as well?: I think it was just going to be baseball. I wasn’t going to try and do anything else because baseball is really time consuming.

How close were you to actually going to Tennessee?: I had to sign 30 minutes, right before the deadline. I was pretty sure I was going to go to school, and then the last offer came and me and my parents sat, and we had to really sit and talk about it. We came to the conclusion that this is what I want to do, so school had to be done with.

How did you know the Red Sox were interested in drafting you?: They came and watched me in high school. I went out and ate with my scout and the day of (the draft), they called me and I talked to them. They asked me, ‘would you be willing [to sign in] the fifth round. Of course I was. I wasn’t expecting it. Me and my mom were just sitting there watching tv and we heard my name. After that, been busting; really.

After you signed with Boston, did you do anything special to celebrate for yourself or with your family?: Two days after (the draft) I was up in Boston. After that we haven’t done anything. What is one thing you are hoping to work on and improve the most this season?: My strength and my mental game. Baseball has got a lot of mind games going on, and I feel if I get my mind stronger I will become stronger and develop more as a player.

Andrew Martin is the founder of  “The Baseball Historian” blog  where he posts his thoughts about baseball on a regular basis. You can also reach him on Twitter at  @historianandrew  or on  Facebook .

He has also authored a number of books (eBook and paperback) an topics of baseball that are  available on Amazon .