Many highly-recruited high school baseball stars face a tough decision upon graduation. Often persuaded by the allure of a professional contract, some talented players opt to forgo a college education for a shot at a paycheck flooded with zeros.
When high school standout Mitch Haniger graduated high school, he was faced with this same debacle. Books or bills?
With the New York Mets in one hand — Cal Poly Mustangs in the other — Haniger chose to stay in school.
“I kind of knew I wanted to go to college,” the Cal Poly freshman right fielder and designated hitter said. “It’s a one-time opportunity. It’s something people talk about the rest of their lives and I didn’t want to regret missing that.”
Yes, he could come back to school, but “it wouldn’t be the same,” he said. The most stressful part of the process was a week before the draft when the Mets pressured Haniger to commit.
“They are pressuring you to tell them how much money you want and how much you will sign for … (scouts) will question you before so you know where you stand before the draft,” he said.
Money, injuries and development were factors that came into play. The Mets drafted Haniger in the third round, which he said made his choice easier. The organization told him they would make him an offer after summer, which Haniger spent playing for the San Luis Obispo Rattlers.
By the end of summer, Haniger wasn’t a priority. The Mets were focused on their top two draft choices they had yet to sign. At that point, Haniger’s decision was a “no-brainer.”
“My parents told me to do what I want,” he said. “They wanted me to go to college, but I think it would’ve been different if I was drafted higher.”
The Archbishop Mitty High School graduate hit .364, knocked in 25 runs and nailed 12 homers. But he didn’t just excel in baseball.
Haniger set a league record with 42 receptions (75 overall for 789 yards and five touchdowns) in possibly the toughest football league in California — the West Catholic Athletic League. Football helped fortify his competitive nature.
“You train 11 months of the year for 12 games, it really makes you love winning or hate losing because you practice five days a week so hard for one game and don’t play again till next week,” Haniger said. “With baseball you play so often, like four games a week, that it’s easy to accept losing, but football taught me to love winning and get after it; I hate to lose.”
Haniger was on ESPN’s High School Players to Watch list and named to the CalHiSports All-State First Team.
Cal Poly sophomore catcher Eliot Stewart grew up with Haniger, who he describes as a “true student of the game.” High school ball, travel ball, eight years of golf — Stewart has “pretty much known (Haniger) forever.”
“He has always carried the offense through every team we’ve been on, through high school and travel ball when we were 13,” Stewart said. “He had high standards for himself and coach Lee and everybody else did for him too. He kind of carries the team as a young guy, which is nice.”
On paper, his stats jumped off the page. In person, he was more impressive.
A 6-foot-2 frame, strong arm, “plus-power potential” at the plate, athleticism — Haniger has the obvious characteristics of a five-tool player. Not to mention he has baseball in his blood. His brother Jason — heralded as one of the nation’s best catchers at Georgia Tech — was drafted by the Pirates two years ago.
But head coach Larry Lee said the intangibles are what distinguish the good ones from the great ones.
“He wants to be the guy: the player that lives for the big opportunity that presents itself in a game,” he said. “(There are) other players that tend to shy away. We found out early that Mitch relishes in that environment.”
Lee referenced Cal Poly’s first conference series against UC Riverside April 2.
Cal Poly was down to its final out, down 2-1 in the top of the ninth. David Van Ostrand forced a walk after a 10-pitch at bat. Jono Grayson pinch ran and stole second to set the stage for the composed freshman.
Each time Haniger steps to the plate he has a routine. He retightens his gloves and holds his helmet as he taps the corner of the plate. His back foot enters the box first as the righty points his front foot up the third-base line. Haniger takes an open stance as he stares to the mound. Three half practice swings later, he takes an even stance and waits as his bat slightly wags up and down just above his shoulder.
Focused and ready, he zoned in.
He looked at two pitches: one ball, one strike. When the third pitch came, he was sitting dead red.
“He threw me a fastball right down the plate and I smashed it over left field,” Haniger said.
Although his two-run blast put the Mustangs up, Riverside scored a run in the bottom half of the inning. Cal Poly won in 10 innings.
Wins have been hard to come by for the Mustangs (20-31, 10-14 Big West). Cal Poly fell victim to injuries that compounded a short pitching staff. It didn’t help when Haniger missed nearly half the season with back spasms.
“He’s very competitive,” Lee said. “He has been playing with a bad back the majority of the season, but he is still holding his own.”
Haniger has definitely held his own, especially when the team needed him. As of late, the Mustangs have caught fire at the plate. His poise has led to a .500 average with the bases loaded, a .317 average overall and six homers. His confidence has earned respect from his teammates.
“He has given our offense a big boost, he has that confidence with him,” senior catcher Ross Brayton said. “We watched him and thought, ‘Yea this kid is going to be good’ … He’s one of our most consistent hitters, always good for two or three hits a game.”
Lee said many players he recruits to Cal Poly need developing, but occasionally he gets the guy he wants or “steals them away from bigger schools.” Haniger is a steal. Lee said he needs to be the player who steps up when the older players graduate this year.
“He will be able to pass every test,” Lee said. “I think he’s going to be a real talented player for us.”
Preparation is the key. Haniger’s work eithic, professionalism and mental stability is uncanny for a freshman, senior outfielder Adam Melker said.
“Age-wise he is a freshman, but mentally there isn’t a gap between him and I,” he said.“It’s a unique case that you really can’t tell he’s young.”
Between at-bats, Haniger hounds teammates in the dugout to get an edge on the opposing pitcher. He tries to stay as relaxed as possible because rigidity doesn’t help in a reactionary game, said Haniger, who takes deep breaths while visualizing his at-bat in the on-deck circle. Being a bit superstitious doesn’t hurt.
“He’s pretty crazy, one of the funniest guys I have ever met,” Spencer said. “He’s pretty superstitious, that’s for sure. He does his own thing; he knows what he is doing. I know he puts his shirts on in a separate order and undresses the same way. (Haniger) cuts his hair every Thursday, before a series. He has pretty much the same schedule every week. He has to have his way.”
With regard to his decision of coming to Cal Poly, Haniger has no regrets.
Although Haniger is a Mustang for now, Melker postulates he won’t be here for four years.
“He’s only going to last in college three years before someone picks him up,” Melker said.