Washburn a diamond in the rough
Published Wednesday October 22nd, 2008
Mike Washburn is a hot property at the hot corner.
Washburn, the 17-year-old Fredericton native has moved across the country and across the diamond to pursue his dream of playing baseball in an American college program next season.
The first step in that plan was a move to Vauxhall Academy in Vauxhall, Alberta, where he's in his Grade 12 year. The second was a little tougher - a shift from first base to third.
"He's had his ups and downs, but I think the transition has been really good," said Vauxhall coach Les McTavish. "We moved him from the first base side to third base to use some of his athleticism, and he did a really nice job over there. The biggest thing at third is that you're so involved in the play. There's so much movement when you're playing the third base side. You have to be able to go to your left really well and you've got to be able to come in on the ball really well,'' said McTavish.
"Over time, I think he'll really improve at that. His first step is really good, and that's the key to becoming a good third baseman."
Washburn did a little bit of everything for the midget AAA Royals this past season, from pitching to catching, to middle infield to the outfield.
"It's different because I've never really played third base before," said Washburn. "But I've played infield, so it's not that much harder to adjust."
"Mike's biggest strength is, he's big and strong and athletic," said McTavish. "I think he has a really good chance to be a really good hitter and show a lot of power at some point in his career. He needs to learn to drive the ball a little bit better and to be aggressive early in the count. When he's aggressive, and he's hitting, he has a chance to be a difference maker in every game he plays. It's going to take some time. He's got a lot of things to work on this winter."
The good news is, he's got all winter. Vauxhall boasts state of the art facilities. And they play a 55-game spring schedule.
"He's an advanced hitter for a kid coming into the first year of our program," said McTavish. "At the same time, he's got a lot of things to do to reach the level he's capable of reaching. He's got a high, high ceiling."
McTavish said the move to third is designed to broaden Washburn's appeal to American college coaches.
"He'll play first base, but I'd like to put him in left field and third base to kind of keep his options open. When a player comes out of high school and plays first base, it's really hard to sell a kid to colleges. Coaches impressions of first basemen are that they're non-athletic. When you're doing up a resume, if you say 'I can play third, I can play left field and yes, I can play first base too, they'll figure that out once he gets to that level."
Athleticism is practically Washburn's middle name. He comes from prime athletic stock - his grandfather Leroy excelled in several sports, most notably track and softball, and his father, Mike Sr. is a former CFL player who starred in softball and volleyball as well.
Mike Jr. played midget AAA hockey last winter and excelled. He scored the goal that helped the Canadiens clinch the provincial championship as they defeated the Moncton Flyers in overtime, and was drafted in both the Quebec Major Junior and Maritime Junior A Hockey League drafts. He gave it up to pursue his diamond dream.
"It was a pretty tough decision, but I'm glad I made it," he said. "It's going really well right now."
Washburn is making the adjustment off the diamond as well. He has classes in the morning - math and social studies - and, now he's in a strength and conditioning program. He has access to a sports psychologist and there are skill development sessions which continue all winter.
"The more repetition they can get, the better off they'll be down the road," said McTavish. "There's ample time to get him ready. I'm curious to see how good he's going to get over the winter."
No doubt so are the scouts from the Canadian junior baseball program.
Washburn was one of 35 players from across the country - and the only Maritimer - invited to the Canadian junior national team's fall instructional camp in Orlando, Fla. earlier this month. The juniors played exhibition games against the fall instructional league teams of the Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, and Seminole Community College of Sanford, FL.
"I thought I was able to keep up pretty well," said the strapping six-foot-one, 209- pounder. "I thought I did all right."
He'll know within a couple of weeks whether he'll be invited back for spring training in April. By then, of course, he should have a pretty good line on where he'll be going to school next year as well. He's had overtures from the University of Buffalo and Dartmouth University in Hanover, N.H. and Wabash Junior College in Illinois.
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