By Jeff Markle
Assistant State Director

 We look back at the top 15 most viewed stories on our website from the year of 2014. Our #12th most viewed  story  was a Q/A we did with Mullen catcher and Stanford commit Maverick Handley. Handley is currently our No 2. ranked player in the 2016 class. Handley will be participating in our Preseason All-State event on 2/22/15.  Below is his profile and the Q&A we did on November 20th, 2014.

No 2. 2016 Maverick Handley, C, Mullen: 8-30-14 5-foot-10, 190 pound catcher/2B. Throws and bats right. Handley has a balanced athletic stance that creates explosive bat speed with a slight uphill swing with good extension through the zone. Ball explodes off the bat. In game we watched had a grand slam, and almost another home run. Good looking prospect and very good student with a  plus 4.0 GPA and a 30 ACT score.

By Jeff Markle
Assistant State Director

PBR: Why did you choose Stanford?

Handley:  Short answer: It's Stanford.
Long answer: Stanford has the best combination of athletics and academics available and that is what I wanted.  Baseball wise, Coach Marquess is a legend and has so much knowledge to share.  Also the assistants Coach Filter and Coach Ungricht can help me improve on the mental side of calling a game, strengthen my defense behind the plate and my hitting at the plate. Academically, when I am done playing baseball and into the next phase of my life, having a Stanford degree will help me get in the door more than a degree with any other name on it. 

PBR: Where did Stanford first see you compete?

Handley:  I had sent Stanford some stats, video, and my 2013 fall schedule.  Stanford told me that because I met some important academic requirements, they were able to take a look at me sooner than they normally would have.  Stanford first saw me compete at the Sophomore Fall Classic in 2013, then followed up with me during summer ball this year and then saw me play again in Arizona at the PG/Evoshield Upperclass and the Junior Fall Classic and then also in Jupiter, Florida at the Perfect Game WWBA World Championships.

PBR: What role do the coaches expect you to play during your first year on campus?

Handley:  I was recruited to be a catcher at Stanford. The expectations are that if I make the team better offensively or defensively, I will have an opportunity to play. Stanford’s current Freshmen catcher will be a Junior when I am a Freshmen and likely the primary starter.  So I may get time catching now and again, but I could play another position as a Freshmen depending upon how I am hitting. 

PBR: What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that will help Stanford?

Handley:  My receiving and my blocking are by biggest strengths.  I also play the game very hard and I don’t take a pitch off.  When I took my unofficial visit to Stanford, the first thing I noticed about Sunken Diamond field was how far it was from home plate to the backstop.  I think it’s about 65 feet or so.  With that much distance, if a ball gets past the catcher, it allows the runners to advance 1 or even 2 bases .  So I think my ability to keep the ball in front of me will help keep the runners from advancing on something other than a hit.

PBR:  What advice would you give about the recruiting process?

Handley:  I would say that the key is to get started early. Recruiting is happening sooner every year and being proactive is key, especially for baseball players in Colorado.  Sit down and talk about what you want in a college and go after it. Get videos of you hitting, fielding, pitching, etc. The best of what you do at your position and send it out. Keep the videos short and clean.  Also, take your SAT and ACT early because that is something colleges can recruit you for.  If you are wanting to go to a top program, they likely will need to see you play against top level competition.  Ask them where they go and what events they watch.  Then go to those events and make sure they know who you are playing for and when you will be playing.  Also, hitting and playing well in games are important, but I've learned how you act when you aren't hitting or playing well is just as important to coaches.

PBR:  What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?

Handley:  My time with the USA team trials is still up there, but more recently my most memorable baseball moment was this summer when I played down in Jupiter, Florida and caught 4 complete games in only 31 hours from start to finish... all in front of hundreds of scouts.  Slammers took 18 boys down to Florida and only 3 had verbally committed prior to going.  Since getting back, it has been awesome to see the guys committing to some really high level programs. 

PBR:  What would you say are your best assets both on and off the field that will help your team this year?

Handley:  I work very hard and I definitely lead by example and often that helps to motivate the rest of the guys to work hard.  If everyone is working as hard as they can, that will translate to wins this year.  Because my Mullen team is so young, every team needs a guy that they can follow.  I want to be that guy these next two years.  I want to push the Seniors to their best year and I want to support the younger players to help them succeed.  

PBR: Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?

Handley:  My Dad, Jeff Handley, has had the biggest overall impact.  He coached me during T-ball, coach pitch and then my first year of kid pitch.  He laid the foundation for me and has been a great role model.  If he didn't know how to teach something himself, he got me lessons from those that did. That is how I started with Slammers. During my lessons, he would watch and listen and then help me repeat in practice what I was shown.  Both my Dad and my Mom, Jill Handley, also spent a lot of time and money to get me to my lessons, games and travel tournaments, but they never made me feel like they were missing out on anything while supporting my dream.  After my parents, the biggest impact has come from Mark Holzemer, I've personally known him since I was 7 years old and he has taught me so much it is hard to know what I haven't learned from him. He's really helped me to never settle and to keep improving my game and encouraged me to be the hardest worker.  Also, he introduced me to my first real catching coach: Mark Strittmatter.

 PBR: Who do you play for in the summer and what was your most exciting experience?

Handley:  play both summer and fall baseball for Slammers Baseball.  I am on Mark Holzemer’s Black team which over time has become all 2016 grads.  This summer, my most exciting experience was simply getting to play again after breaking my ankle in January.  I was medically cleared to play at the end of May so when I finally got to play in a real game again it felt great.   At the end of the Summer, the most exciting experience I was a part of was during the Slammer's Labor Day tournament at Double Angel when Ryan Vottiero hit a walk off HR in the bottom of the 7th to get our team to the championship.  

PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher/hitter you have faced in Colorado?

Handley:  As a Freshmen it was Griffin Jax.  But more recently, since I catch for Slammers in the summer and fall, I have a different perspective as I caught most of the top 2015 and 2016 pitchers in Colorado at one point or another.  I may be biased, but I think the top 2016 pitchers can challenge the top 2015s.  So I won't narrow it down to just one:  Jake Eissler, Paul Tillotson, Bo Weiss, and Travis Marr are tough pitchers.  Ask me this question again after the season is over.

PBR: What are your goals both individually and for the team going into your senior season?

Handley:  Well, I am only going into my junior season in 2015.  So my individual goals are to get stronger and faster so I am working out at Steadman Hawkins Sports Performance. Ultimately, I want to be as physically ready to compete for some starting time at Stanford when I get there.  My team goals for Mullen Baseball are to win our conference and advance as far as possible in the playoffs with the end being a State Championship!