The Baseball Observer May-June 2016 vol 7 | Page 42

The Baseball Observer - May/ June 2016

of their regions! I also had to make sure that I was going to be at a place that was going to compete at an elite level on the field and hold myself and my teammates accountable in the classroom so that we would strive to become the best students, too.

Q: You were drafted in the 34th round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. What made you decide to not go?

I decided not to go because I knew that I wasn’t ready physically, and most importantly mentally. I needed to come to school to develop my maturity so that the next time I heard my name called in the draft I would be the best version of myself possible to go out and show that I am ready to continue on to the next level and fulfill my dreams.

Q: Why did you chose TCU?

I chose TCU because it just felt like home. As soon as I stepped on campus I just knew that it was the place for me to be. I felt comfortable around all of the players and the coaches treated me with such genuine affection, like I was already part of the family even on my first visit down. The school met all of my requirements and beyond that, it was just a gut feeling

Q: What did you notice first about the players you play with and against once you started playing college baseball?

I noticed that they were extremely intelligent about the way they prepared for the game. Their meticulous work ethics and serious attention to the littlest of details left them prepared for anything that could be thrown their way.

Q: What does your typical “non-game day” look like for you?

Right now I wake up around 6, get ready and head to the weight room to be there by 7. I’m usually the last to leave making it back to my apartment by 8:30-9. Then I shower, make a

42

College Player Insight

2015-16

Texas Christian Univ. - Fort Worth, TX

Catcher

2015 (Freshman)

*1st-team D1Baseball.com

Freshman All-American

*Louisville Slugger Freshmen

All-American

*NCAA Fort Worth All-Regional team

*Honorable Mention All-Big 12

Conference

*Big 12 All-Freshmen Team

*Started all 66 games

High School:

Libertyville High School

Libertyville, IL

*four-year letterwinner

*Drafted in the 34th round of the

2014 MLB Draft

*Ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the

State of Illinois for the 2014

*MVP honors at the Perfect Game

World Wood Bat Association

Championship in 2013

*Perfect Game second-team All-

American as a senior

*First-team all-Central Region

*Two-time first-team all-conference,

all-area and all-state honoree

*2014 Illinois Gatorade Player of the

Year

*Illinois state scholar as a senior.

*Team MVP as a senior

Evan Skoug

Sophomore at TCU

5'11"/ 200lbs.

Q: What was your biggest challenge (if any) during your college search while in high school?

The biggest struggle for me was getting my name out to a school like TCU that was going to compete for a spot in the CWS on a yearly basis. Being from the Midwest, it was even more difficult to get to a school like that because they generally don’t recruit outside of their regions! I also had to make sure that I was going to be at a place that was going to compete at an elite level on the field and hold myself and my teammates accountable in the classroom so that we would strive to become the best students, too.