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Q&A with Bradley Commit RHP Michael Hojnacki (Marquette, 2017)

December 2, 2016

Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director



Michael Hojnacki (Marquette, 2017) is a 6-foot 160-pound is a right-handed pitcher and has committed to Bradley University.

Hojnacki has a loose arm action, and throws with regular effort, He has a tall and fall type delivery, to along with his projectable and athletic frame. He has seen increases to his fastball velo, which has been up to 90 mph this fall. 

He has a 12-to-6 breaking ball at 69-72 mph and a change up with arm side sink at 74-76-mph.  His cutter has late action at 76-77 mph. 

Here is a look inside the recruitment of Michael Hojnacki.

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

Hojnacki: The recruiting process was about what I expected. It took a fair amount of time communicating with coaches and visiting schools. I was diligent about the process because I wanted to make the right decision.

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

Hojnacki: Initially I did not think that distance from home would be a factor. I visited schools and was talking with coaches all across the country. Ultimately though, attending a school in the Midwest became part of the decision criteria.

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

Hojnakcki: I initially started a conversation with the Bradley recruiting coordinator, Sean Lyons (now the head coach at SIU Edwardsville). After that, I made a number of visits to Bradley to meet with their entire coaching staff and some players. They ultimately saw me pitch in the summer with the Rawlings Tigers.

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

Hojnacki: Jackson Rutledge (Rockwood Summit) and Colytn Kessler (Rockwood Summit) are both outstanding players. I have been lucky to play on travel teams and showcase event teams with them. They are great teammates, are extremely talented and compete at the highest level. It is no surprise that both of them will be playing in the SEC next year.

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

Hojnacki: I think it goes without saying that you have to work hard. You have to do more than just go to your high school work outs. It is also very important to be honest about your talent level so you can focus on schools that match your skills. You have to market yourself so go to events like PBR and Perfect Game showcases. Make sure you start the process early because schools are filling up their rosters earlier than ever.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?

Hojnacki: I lift 4 times per week, 3 of them before school and once on the weekend. I work with Todd Stein, my pitching coach twice a week after school. Todd runs Elite Pitching Development and has been the key to my development over the past few years and a big reason why I had so much Division I interest. I also attend high school team workouts during the week. I am doing something baseball related at least 6 days per week. I take about 8-10 weeks off from throwing and will start back up in early December to get ready for the season.

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

Hojnacki: I had the opportunity to play on a team from the Midwest in the Perfect Game Series Classic in Ft. Myers, FL in 2015. Our team played against teams from all over the country and ended up winning the tournament. I was named Most Valuable Pitcher for the tournament. 

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

Hojnacki: I have been really impressed by both the coaching staff as well as the current group of players. Their team competes in a great conference, the Missouri Valley, against some of the best college teams in the country.  They have outstanding facilities for year-round development. The baseball program is on the rise, having made it to the 2015 NCAA Regionals. I believe there will be an opportunity at Bradley for me to contribute early in my college career. On the academic side, I wanted a small, private school that has a good business program and Bradley meets that criteria.

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

Hojnacki: There were a number of schools that were on the short list. Some of these I had offers from and some we were still in discussion when I decided to go to Bradley. The schools were: Columbia, Butler, Northwestern, George Washington, and Xavier.

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?

Hojnacki: The summer after my sophomore year was when things started heating up. I started to attend college camps for exposure plus had a good summer with the Rawlings Tigers. In the Fall of my Junior year I did unofficial visits to about 8 or 9 schools. During that winter is when offers started coming in and when I made my decision to attend Bradley.

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

Hojnacki: We have high hopes for the Marquette team this year. Our pitching will be one of our strengths with Seniors Ryan Potthoff and John Smalley along with Junior Sam Grace all being key contributors. We expect that our offense will be led by Seniors Mason Mitchell, Nick Bulanda and Tyler Pauley. We are looking to bounce back from last year’s inconsistent performance. Our goal is to win Districts and compete for a State Championship.

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

Hojnacki: I play for the Rawlings Tigers. They have been a really great resource for me going through the recruiting process. The most memorable experience I had with them was during my 16U summer. We had a really great summer winning tournaments at Mizzou and Arkansas.


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