Q&A With Notre Dame Commit Connor Hock

December 2, 2014

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Wisconsin/Illinois

Connor Hock recently marked the 30^th Division I commit in Wisconsin’s 2015 class and to a highly touted program at that. The Bay Port RHP committed to Notre Dame last week and we caught up with him to get his thoughts and experience on the recruiting process.

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

Hock: I really didn’t know what to expect going into the recruiting process. I didn’t know many people who had gone through the process before, so I kind of had to figure it out on my own. It ended up being a lot more difficult than I’d expected. This process was one of the more stressful experiences that I’ve gone through, but at the same time I enjoyed it because I got to play in some pretty cool places, visit a lot of really nice schools and form great relationships in the process.

PBR: What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Hock: The first thing that I was looking for in a program, was a place where I could develop as a player and have the best possible chance of moving onto the next level. The academic side of the equation was also a huge factor for me. I wanted to get a quality degree that I could use when my baseball career eventually comes to an end. And of course, I wanted to find a program that has a history of winning and could annually compete to go to a regional. I believe that I found all of these things at Notre Dame.

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

Hock: I didn’t consider distance to be a major part of my decision. I had initially wanted to go south to warmer weather, but I ended up loving South Bend.

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?

Hock: The recruiting process started relatively late for me. I had a good junior season with my high school team, but didn’t attract much attention in that time. The process really started to pick up speed for me in early August when I threw in the Midwest Classic with Team Wisconsin in Joliet, IL. Later in the fall, I had the chance to throw in the Arizona Fall Classic and WWBA Championships in Jupiter which also helped with recruiting immensely.

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

Hock: I was first seen by Notre Dame at one of their camps in September. I threw very well at the camp, and my relationship with Coach Aoki and the rest of the coaching staff grew from there. I took an official visit to Notre Dame late in November, and shortly after the visit I decided that I wanted to spend my next 3-4 years as part of the Irish family.

PBR: What do you like most about Notre Dame and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Hock: During my college search, I was trying to find the best possible combination of a competitive baseball school and a fantastic academic institution. Notre Dame ended up being the perfect fit as they are a top 10 academic school in the nation and also compete in the ACC which I believe to be the best baseball conference in the country. Additionally, I loved the atmosphere at Notre Dame and I believe that it will be the best place for me to fully enjoy every part of the “college experience.”

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

Hock: I received interest from many different schools, but at the end of the recruiting process, I had narrowed down my list to Oregon State, U-Conn, Oral Roberts and Notre Dame. They are all fantastic schools, but at the end of the day Notre Dame ended up being the right fit for me.

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

Hock: The best player that I’ve faced would have to be my teammate and friend Joey Baier. I’ve had the chance to play with/against him since we were about 10 years old, and he’s consistently dominated pitchers pretty much the whole time. Joe has very quick hands and a smooth swing, but what makes him really hard to get out is his pitch recognition. He’s also one of the best defensive outfielders that I’ve had the chance to play with.

PBR: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?

Hock: I had always hoped to play baseball at the next level, but I realized that I was a college caliber player around the end of my sophomore year. I had strong sophomore and junior campaigns, and this year, I threw very well against some talented scout teams which reaffirmed my belief that I could compete at a high level in college.

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

Hock: I would say the most important thing you can do is to always keep working towards your goals. It’s important to stay focussed and dedicated. I would be nowhere near the baseball player that I am today if I hadn’t put in the hours and worked hard, and as a result of that work, I now have the opportunity to play baseball at my dream school.

PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

Hock: This past year during high school ball, Bay Port was in a race for the conference title with several other teams towards the end of the season. We needed to win out in order to win conference outright. I was scheduled to pitch the next game against Notre Dame, and I threw a complete game shutout and struck out 14 batters. We went on to win our conference which was a pretty special moment for our entire team.

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

Hock: I am extremely excited for this upcoming season with Bay Port. We have three Division I commits on the team in Dakota Klein (Texas A&M), Joey Baier (Chicago State) and myself (Notre Dame), and I believe that we have the ability to make a very deep playoff run. Bay Port has gone to state every year of my career thus far, but we have always fallen short. The goal this year is to make it back to Appleton and take home a state championship in our senior year.

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

Hock: I actually played with two different teams this summer. During the early part of the summer, I played with the Wisconsin Panthers, and we traveled throughout the Midwest playing in different tournaments. I had a great time forming close relationships with my teammates and coaches, and it was probably my most enjoyable baseball experience thus far. Late in the summer and into the fall, I played for a team called Baseball Northwest which is based out of Salem, Oregon, and I had a great time playing there as well.

Q&A With Notre Dame Commit Connor Hock

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