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Q&A with Kansas Commit Daniel Hegarty (Blue Valley, 2017)

January 6, 2016

Shon Plack
Kansas Scouting Director

Daniel Hegarty (Blue Valley, 2017) is becoming one of the top left-handed hitting first baseman and left-handed pitchers in Kansas. The 6-foot 180-pound southpaw was 81 mph off the mound last January at Underclass Invitational and posted an 88 mph exit velo with a 72 mph positional velo.

Hegarty has a all set-up at the plate and uses a leg kick and has some length in load. e has loose hands, generates leverage and bat speed, while finishing with extension. His swing has rhythm and flow with some juice. At first base showed athletic footwork, clean exchanges, loose three-quarters arm action, and some accuracy. On the mound under control early in his delivery.  Hegerty throws from tall balance point, picks up tempo during delivery, and releases from a high three quarters slot.

Hegerty will be part of talented Tigers baseball team this spring at Blue Valley and we will get a closer look at him at the Pre-Season All-State Showcase in February.  Here is a closer look at the recruiting process for Daniel Hegarty.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?

Hegarty: I thought it was going to heat up more for me during the summer going into my senior year. My expectations were having to go to showcases more to get my name out, but its fascinating how much a coaching staff can learn about you. I thought it was pretty easy I connected with Coach Price and his staff very well.

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

Hegarty: Yes, distance from home played a huge factor in my decision. I wanted to go somewhere that my parents and family could come see me play.  Also, being a lifelong KU fan was big in making the decision.

PBR: Where did Kansas first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Hegarty: Kansas first saw me playing my sophomore year. Building Champions has played a lot of games up at KU, so they have seen me play for the past 2 years. The relationship started after I went to their camp in late August. It started to develop even more in early November when we were talking weekly.

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?

Hegarty: Carter Putz is the best player in the state I’ve faced. Carter is a kid who works hard and is the leader of his team. He can hit anything thrown at him and he just flat out competes.

PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

Hegarty: Have fun. That’s the best part is when your having fun playing the sport you love. Also, realize that hard work can beat out talent.  Hit whenever you can and throw. It doesn’t matter how good you are now, just understand your body is still maturing. So you don’t need to worry if you are not the best player in the state when you are just a kid. I know I wasn’t the best player when I was younger.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?

Hegarty: I train at TopSpeed to help with my strength. It has helped me a lot this offseason to get ready for high school ball. I have pitching lessons with Jaime Bluma to help keep my arm in shape for games. I also have hitting lessons with Jeremy Jones.

PBR: What do you like most about the college you committed to and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Hegarty: I love everything about Kansas. The campus is beautiful and the baseball facilities are outstanding. The key factors in making my decision was proximity to home for my family coming to see my games, the business school which is one of the best in the country, and the coaches. All 3 of those were perfect in fitting my expectations.

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

Hegarty: KU and K-State

PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?

Hegarty: The recruiting process really started to heat up for me this fall. I took an unofficial to KSU and then later took one to KU. I think the KU camp I went to really turned the corner for me. I had a great day going 4 for 6 and I pitched two scoreless innings.

PBR: Preview your high school season for us. How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?

Hegarty: Our team believes that we will compete for a state championship. We have a great group of seniors such as Wil Brennan, Gunner Halter, Tanner Fox, AJ Johnson, and Jared Demmel. This team is going to be a fun team to watch with experienced and young guys. We also have the best coaching staff in the state trying to get us a state championship.

PBR: Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?

Hegarty: I play for Building Champions in the summer.  My most memorable experience with BC is playing at Vanderbilt University. It truly was an amazing experience to play at such an amazing program.


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