Trey Sofio
Louisiana Scouting Director

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The Prep Baseball Report Louisiana scouting staff recently sat down with the PBR Future Games standout to discuss his recent commitment to Ole Miss. Below is a transcript of our question and answer session:

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process?
McDaniel: It caught me by surprise. I wasn’t getting recruited at all during the school season, and then it blew up after my first couple summer tournaments. 

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?  
McDaniel: Yes definitely. I wanted to get away from home, but still be able to drive home and Oxford is the perfect place for that.

PBR: Where did the college you chose first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
McDaniel: They first saw me at a tournament in Atlanta. I talked to them on the phone right after I pitched and they asked if I wanted to come on a visit. This had a big part in my decision. They knew right away that they wanted me and that made me feel special to them. 

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?
McDaniel: This past year of school ball I faced Daniel Cabrera and he was probably the most difficult. I had never seen him play, but I had seen videos. He was probably the only person all year that I worked out of the strike zone with.

PBR: At what point in your career did you realize you were an elite player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?
McDaniel: When I talked to my first college coach I started to feel it, but wasn’t quite sure. When more and more started coming I started to realize.

PBR: What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?
McDaniel: I was looking for somewhere I would feel comfortable. I found that in Oxford. The coaches made me feel at home and really made it seem like a place I wanted to be. 

PBR: What is your best attribute as a baseball player and how does that transfer onto the field for your team?
McDaniel: I think it’s that I can make the game fun. If you always look at it like a game there are really no situations you won’t be comfortable in. I feel like I rub that off on my teammates.

PBR: What part of your game needs the biggest improvement, why, and what will you do to improve it?
McDaniel: I always seem to start the game off slow. I am going to start going through game situations in the bullpen before the game so when I get on the field it’s like I have already thrown an inning.

PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
McDaniel: I would tell them to have big goals. My goal for a long time has been to play baseball for Ole Miss and it never even really came into the picture until late this summer. If you don’t get what you want keep trying, because you will surprise yourself.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?
McDaniel: When the season ends I take a while off throwing to let my arm rest. So I work out everyday and try to eat right.

PBR: What do you like most about the college you committed to and what were the key factors in making your decision?
McDaniel: Ole Miss has been my dream school for so long. I went to a game when I was younger and knew if I got the chance that it would be an easy decision. The atmosphere over there is like nothing else. It is a great town and a pace I want to be.

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
McDaniel: Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana State, and Mississippi State.

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