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Commitment Spotlight- '17 Derek Hackman, C, Johnston

November 11, 2016

By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Iowa

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Derek Hackman

Name: Derek Hackman
Position: C
Class: 2017
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 195-pounds
High School: Johnston
PBR Rank: #21 in IA 2017 Class

Evaluation: 8/7/16- 6-foot, 195-pound left-handed hitting catcher. Balanced stance, easy load and stride, quiet head, long through zone, shows solid pop in bat, ability to use whole field, 89 mph exit velocity. Shows above avg. arm strength and carry to bag with accuracy, solid direction with feet, stays down and through on throws, 76 mph arm with 2.00-2.12 pop times. Quiet receiver with good flexibility behind dish, blocks well, good mobility for size.

PBR: Why did you choose South Dakota State? 
HACKMAN: I really liked the coaching staff and the baseball program at SDSU. When I took my visit, the campus and the many academic opportunities in the engineering field felt like a very good fit for me. I also was very impressed with their athletic facilities, especially the new indoor facility and the weight room.

PBR: What other schools were you considering? 
HACKMAN: Augustana University and Southeastern CC.

PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them? 
HACKMAN: The assistant coach and pitching coach saw me play a few times this summer, including at the state tournament, and also at a couple showcases. I reached out to them when the new coaching staff arrived at South Dakota State, and Coach Grunzke responded, letting me know they were interested and remained in contact with me from there. I took an official visit and met the whole coaching staff and felt it was a very good fit for me.

PBR: Do you feel relieved now that the process is over and you can just focus on baseball and not deal with everything that goes into picking a school? 
HACKMAN: Yes, I feel very relieved to have the process over. Now I am able to focus on a strong finish to my senior year both with baseball and academics.

PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
HACKMAN: No, there wasn't just one factor.  It was a combination of the coaching staff, the baseball program and athletic facilities, the campus and the many academic opportunities available in the engineering field.

PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today? 
HACKMAN: My parents have helped me the most throughout the process. By taking me to showcases and on college visits, they helped me to gain exposure and find the best fit for me.

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult? 
HACKMAN: Going into the recruiting process I did not know what to expect. It was difficult to gain exposure at first, but playing in the state tournament seemed to open up opportunities, and then it just came down to finding the place that I felt was the best fit for me.

PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season? 
HACKMAN: To further develop as a catcher both offensively and defensively, and be able to compete for playing time early in my career.

PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date? 
HACKMAN: Getting called up to varsity as a Sophomore and hitting a triple for my first varsity hit. In addition, playing at Principal Park in the State Tournament this past summer was a great experience that I will never forget.

PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against? 
HACKMAN: John Swanda and Ben Probst were the best players I played against this year. Swanda is a great hitter and is always a tough out, and Probst was the best pitcher I faced this season.

 

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