Connor Hollis a prospect flying under the radar
With the 2022 minor league season quickly coming to a close, one Padres prospect who deserves more attention is Connor Hollis
With the 2022 MLB season winding down, the minor leagues have even less time. One player who has flown under the radar is Padres prospect, Connor Hollis. The 27-year-old has posted a .316 average in 337 at bats between two levels. In his first year with the Padres, Hollis has made a great first impression with a career-high 19 stolen bases. Earlier this week, he spoke with our very own Jamie Gatlin to talk about his baseball career.
Jamie Gatlin: How has each level challenged you?
Connor Hollis: The pitching gets harder as you move up. Pitchers throw harder, or they can locate better. It's more adjusting to the environment. At every level, you have a different objective. The primary focus in the lower levels is to develop, and once you start getting to Double-A, it's about what we can emphasize in a player's game that will push him to be a big-league player. Triple-A is about how a player's skills can translate to the majors.
JG: What has led to you being more aggressive on the basepaths this year? (Career high 19 stolen bases)
CH: I would say it’s the organization. When they signed me, they said we know what you have. Go out there and play. We want to see what you can do. I had the green light to steal whenever I wanted. The Padres have focused on that aspect of my game. My success rate isn’t the highest, but it has been a good experience for me to grow my game. There are so many things that go into being a good base stealer.
JG. What are some of the biggest differences between the Rays and Padres systems?
CH: They are pretty similar organizations. The Padres are a bigger market team than the Rays but have similar philosophies. The Rays were very old school going into this year, and then they started using more metrics in trades. With the Padres, they got about the data differently and emphasized things such as on-base and chase percentages.
JG: As you have moved up the levels in the minors, what has been your favorite to city to play in?
CH: I really liked Wichita. The stadium was brand new, and it was right on the river. It was a great week of weather, and the stadium was right by downtown and within walking distance. We get pre and postgame meals provided, so when we go to a city, it’s like where are the breakfast places. I want to be able to enjoy the city and not use things like Doordash. There were already 30-minute waits on a Thursday morning. The weather and city were great.
JG: Who has been the hardest pitcher that you have faced in the minors?
CH: I would say Gavin Stone. He was in Double-A in the Dodgers organization and had a good fastball. His spin was so tight that I could not see the seam of the ball. I would say the Dodgers have the best pitching staff, top to bottom.
JG: Who has been the biggest influence on your baseball career.
CH: I’ve been lucky to have a lot of good managers and coaches throughout my career. One in particular with the Rays was a hitting coach with Brady North. About halfway through last season, he had said you need to use a bigger bat and swing harder. This is just going to help you mentally get it going. I’ve always been a contact hitter, but he said I could sacrifice a little bit of contact to get my barrel going. Before that, I was flying out to the warning track like it was my day job. In my first game using a bigger bat, I went 4-4 with a home run, which was a turning point in my career.
JG: What has been your favorite moment in your baseball career?
CH: It would have to be in college. I was a walk-on, and our senior shortstop got hurt, which gave me a chance to play that year. We made it to the LSU regional and played an LSU team that included Alex Bregman and Aaron Nola. We beat them twice in the championship to go to the Super Regionals. Being in that atmosphere and playing in front of 16,000 people was incredible.
Follow Jamie on Twitter @JamieGatlin17
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