Rankings Spotlight: Zack Hess, RHP, Liberty Christian Academy, 2016
January 15, 2015
Follow @PBRVirginiaDC
By Sammy Serrano
Director of Scouting
zack hess: ranked #13 in Virginia and #159 Nationally
High School: Liberty Christian Academy
Position: RHP
College Commitment: Virginia Tech
Get to know prospect Zack Hess...
PBR: Tell us where you grew up, when did you start playing baseball, and who were your baseball influences and why?
Hess: I grew up in Lynchburg, VA. I first started playing baseball when I was 5 years old in tee ball. My biggest influence athletically is definitely my dad, because he had the experience to play college basketball at Liberty. He's a great source to get advice from because he has been in my shoes. Also, I seek a lot of advice from my high school coach, Randy Tomlin. He played professionally with the Pirates for 5 years and really knows a lot about the game.
PBR: You have been receiving a lot of notoriety lately. How does it feel?
Hess: I really try not to worry too much about publicity. My goal right now is to just get better everyday and prepare myself for the opportunities that are ahead of me.
PBR: You are committed to Virginia Tech. Tell us who were in your top three, your best offers, and why you chose the school you did?
Hess: My top three schools had to be Virginia Tech, Duke, and NC State. Virginia Tech has been my dream school since I was 8 years old and it really felt like the right fit for me both as an athlete and as a student.
PBR: We know you’re a very talented player. Tell us all about you. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Hess: My best strength as a player is probably my arm. I have good arm strength and I have a lot of movement on my fastball that helps me create good deception off the mound. I also have a pretty decent bat too. As far as improving, I would like to work on improving my command off the mound, and my speed as a position player.
PBR: You’re ranked in Virginia and Nationally by Prep Baseball Report VA/DC (PBR). How does that feel considering the size and talent in the state?
Hess: It definitely feels good to be recognized as a one of the top players. Virginia has produced a lot of baseball talent over the years and it definitely is humbling to be in that category.
PBR: What's your training look like this winter? Goals for the spring?
Hess: Right now I'm weight training 4 times per week and working on hitting and throwing daily. My goal this spring is to win another State Championship.
PBR: How was your high school season last year? Team record? Post season awards? Stats?
Hess: My high school (Liberty Christian Academy) won the State Championship. We went 23-2 and had a lot of talent. My post-season awards: Team MVP, Pitcher of The Year... Stats: Batting Average .491, 3 HR, On the mound, 4-1 with a 0.91 ERA, 35k’s.
PBR: Preview your high school season? How will your team be this year? Expectations?
Hess: We are young but have a lot of talent. We lost a lot of seniors last year so we are going to be a little inexperienced to start off. I believe we have the talent to repeat as State Champions.
PBR: Who is the best player you will see this spring? Best team?
Hess: Probably Nic Enright. He really knows how to pitch and throws hard with good off-speed. As far as best team, I'm guessing Miller School. Their roster is filled with a lot of D1 players and it's always a dogfight every time we play them.
PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?
Hess: Definitely winning the State Championship last year. That was our schools 1st baseball State Championship and was an amazing experience sharing that with my teammates.
PBR: Tell us something about yourself others don't know but would like to know.
Hess: I'm extremely competitive at everything. Whether it's on the baseball field or just playing a game with my friends, I always try to win at everything!
related content:
major announcements:
