Logan O’Hoppe is a promising younger hitter. No. 51 on our 2023 Top 100 Prospects checklist, the 23-year-old catcher is coming off a season throughout which he logged a 159 wRC+ and hit 26 house runs between a pair of Double-A stops. Dealt from the Phillies to the Angels in early August — Brandon Marsh went east to Philadelphia — O’Hoppe went on to make his large league debut with Los Angeles in late September. He noticed motion in 5 video games and notched 4 hits in 14 get-your-feet-wet at-bats.
O’Hoppe broke camp because the Halo’s main catcher this spring and has proceeded to slash .244/.300/.533 with 4 house runs and a 122 wRC+ over 50 plate appearances. He talked hitting previous to Sunday’s recreation at Fenway Park.
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David Laurila: When and the way did you study to hit?
Logan O’Hoppe: “I’m still learning. I think it’s something that none of us have completely figured out. But yeah, just taking reps; I feel like that’s the best way to do it.”
Laurila: What about studying to hit if you have been rising up?
O’Hoppe: “I started swinging the bat at a pretty young age. We had a batting cage in the backyard ever since I was born. Growing up, my dad and I would go back there, and he would throw to me. He still does in the offseason sometimes.”
Laurila: Growing up with a batting cage within the yard sounds enjoyable.
O’Hoppe: “I loved it. I loved it. It’s not like I needed to work on a swing when I was five years old, I just loved to play and to hit. We’re a big baseball family; we really just love the game. It took up a lot of my time. I never even played video games growing up, it was always just hop in the cage.”
Laurila: You’re fairly the devoted baseball nerd should you don’t play video video games.
O’Hoppe: “No video games, not really even… I mean, I do cook a little bit for a hobby. But it’s just baseball, mainly.”
Laurila: Did you have got a hitting coach rising up?
O’Hoppe: “I played travel ball every year and just worked with those guys, and with my dad. So no, I never really had a hitting guy. That’s something I was never really super uptight about. Luckily, I had my dad. He helped me a lot.”
Laurila: You have been drafted out of highschool. How a lot have you ever modified since that point?
O’Hoppe: “I don’t know if I’ve changed much, but I’ve definitely made adjustments like everyone does. I mean, I’m making adjustments day to day. So, I’d say that ‘change’ isn’t the word, but rather constant adjustments.”
Laurila: What was the first message you bought from hitting coaches as soon as you bought to professional ball? I assume it wasn’t simply, ‘Keep doing what you do.’
O’Hoppe: “It was form of that the primary summer time, however after that it was… I imply, it’s a bunch of various issues. I want I had a concrete reply for you. There have been so many issues that we’d be right here all day if I attempted to undergo all of it. It’s been a wonderful mess, I prefer to name it.
“I will say that I went to Driveline in 2021 and that helped me a lot. I learned a lot about mechanical things in my swing. I’ve never liked to think mechanics, though. I like to think a lot more about approach and where my mind is at in the box.”
Laurila: How would you describe your swing?
O’Hoppe: “I know that I definitely like to pull the ball — that’s where my strength is at — but I’m trying to work on using the whole field and expanding my sights a little bit. Hitting is kind of a day-to-day thing for me. I wake up with a completely clean slate and just try to get myself in line.”
Laurila: You stated that you just suppose extra about strategy…
O’Hoppe: “I think that my approach, and my mindset, is everything when I’m in the box. When my head is in a good space, my body will take care of itself. It’s about being calm and confident. I’ve found that if I’m passive and a little bit on the timid side, things doesn’t work out too well. So yeah, I just try to keep my foot on the gas, being aggressive, but at the same time selective.”
Laurila: Do you suppose like a catcher on the plate?
O’Hoppe: “I do. I do that sometimes, and it’s a blessing and a curse.”
Laurila: In what manner is it a curse?
O’Hoppe: “The guy that’s catching behind me may not do the same thing I might do. There are different situations and how you would approach them walking up to the plate, and I think some catchers know that and then go off of that. That’s why I try to keep a pretty clear head.”
Laurila: And the blessing?
O’Hoppe: “The blessing is that sometimes it works out; sometimes you get the pitch you’re looking for.”
Laurila: Do you watch different hitters with your individual recreation in thoughts?
O’Hoppe: “I do. I watch a lot of guys, especially on our team. We’ve got some guys who can swing it. I don’t think I really compare to any of them, though. I mean, look at my stance; it doesn’t look too much like anybody else’s. But I definitely watch different movements that guys make. Like, I love watching Wardo [Taylor Ward] hit. We talk quite a bit about it. I listen to him as much as I can because I like what he’s saying. He’s super smart.”
Laurila: How totally different is hitting within the large leagues?
O’Hoppe: “It’s different, for sure. Guys are better and are able to do things more consistently. It’s still the same game — 94 mph here is the same 94 mph it was in Double-A — but again, it’s different. You see a little bit more of a chess match.”
Laurila: Any remaining ideas on hitting?
O’Hoppe: It’s powerful to remain in a constant headspace everyday. That’s why I seize my journal so much. I put down quite a lot of my ideas and attempt to maintain myself centered that manner. I attempt to keep constant, which is hard… particularly up right here in numerous environments, totally different cities. I attempt to be the place my toes are.”
Laurila: Is your journal all baseball?
O’Hoppe: “I have two. One is for off-the-field stuff and one is for baseball stuff. I write about hitting stuff a lot in the black one. The black one is for baseball. The brown leather one is for life.”
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Earlier “Talks Hitting” interviews can discovered via these hyperlinks: Jo Adell, Jeff Albert, Greg Allen, Nolan Arenado, Aaron Bates, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, JJ Bleday, Bobby Bradley, Jay Bruce, Matt Chapman, Michael Chavis, Gavin Cross, Jacob Cruz, Nelson Cruz, Paul DeJong, Josh Donaldson, Brendan Donovan, Donnie Ecker, Rick Eckstein, Drew Ferguson, Justin Foscue, Michael Fransoso, Ryan Fuller, Joey Gallo, Devlin Granberg, Andy Haines, Mitch Haniger, Robert Hassell III, Nico Hoerner, Rhys Hoskins, Eric Hosmer, Tim Hyers, Josh Jung, Jimmy Kerr, Heston Kjerstad, Steven Kwan, Trevor Larnach, Doug Latta, Evan Longoria, Michael Lorenzen, Gavin Lux, Dave Magadan, Trey Mancini, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly, Hunter Mense, Owen Miller, Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Daniel Murphy, Vinnie Pasquantino, Brent Rooker, Drew Saylor, Trevor Story, Fernando Tatis Jr., Spencer Torkelson, Mark Trumbo, Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Josh VanMeter, Robert Van Scoyoc, Chris Valaika, Zac Veen, Mark Vientos, Matt Vierling, Luke Voit, Anthony Volpe, Christian Walker, Jared Walsh, Jordan Westburg, Jesse Winker, Mike Yastrzemski, Nick Yorke, Kevin Youkilis
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