Interview With Twins 2017 Draft Pick Landon Leach (Part 2)

Be sure to read the first Q&A with Landon Leach, but now enjoy a new conversation with the catcher-turned-pitcher.

Cory: First off, happy early birthday (Landon’s birthday is July 12)

Landon: Thanks!

Cory: What was your draft experience like? Where were you when you were drafted?

Landon: I was at home. It was like any other night. I wasn’t paying super close attention as I was projected to be a 3^rd round pick. My mom told me to go to bed about ten minutes before I got the call from my agent, and my dad was already in bed. It was a shock when I got the call from my agent (because I was projected to be a 3^rd round pick) and I had like 20 seconds to make a decision.

Cory: What was that 20 seconds like?

Landon: It was a shock, but very exciting!

Cory: Ok, so why baseball? Why did you choose baseball as your sport?

Landon: I’ll start from the beginning. I tried t-ball at age 4, and quit at that point because the competition was not good. I started baseball again at age 8, along with a number of other sports (football, Lacrosse, downhill skiing, hockey, along with volleyball). I have always loved baseball too, but quit playing competitive hockey at age 13 to mostly focus on baseball as a potential career.

Cory: Ok, so growing up, did you have a favorite team or favorite player(s) for baseball? Or, maybe more so, are there any specific players you try to emulate or compare yourself to now?

Landon: Growing up, I cheered for different teams, but not really specific players. Now, since I have been pitching, I try to follow and pitch like (Cory) Kluber. I love his mentality, his body type is similar to mine in a sense, and his cutter/2 seamer.

Cory: Ok, tell me about your pitch arsenal. What do you throw, and what do you try to do with your specific pitches?

Landon: I have a 4-seam fastball, 2-seam fastball, slider and a changeup. My 4-seam can get up to 96, and my slider is definitely my out pitch. I’m confident in my fastball(s) and my slider, and my changeup is getting there, for sure, since I have had to use it more in the last year as I was facing professionals while pitching for the Canadian national team.

Cory: You only started pitching maybe two years ago. You were always a catcher before that point. Do you miss catching or are you happy with the change?

Landon: I miss catching to an extent. Switching to pitching started when I was 15, and our team was warming up/training with long toss, and I was throwing it further than anyone else. That’s when my coaches asked if I would be ok trying pitching full time because of my arm. I had to get that ok’d by my parents, but once I/we made that decision, it has been a great one.

Cory: What is a typical day like for you now, since you have become a professional?

Landon: Not much different than before really, except I’m not in school anymore. Workout, eat a lot, rest and throw. Graduation for school is this Friday, and then my visa is getting worked out so I should be down in Florida in a week to a week-and-a-half.

Cory: So do you anticipate beginning your career with the Gulf Coast League in Fort Myers?

Landon: Yes, that is the plan.

Cory: So, going back to the draft and turning pro, was it a difficult decision to forego college and become a professional baseball player?

Landon: The University of Texas is a great school, and they have a great baseball program and a high-quality education. But at the end of the day, I wanted to start my professional baseball career, and I am excited for that opportunity.

Cory: One last question; since being drafted and now signing, how has it been with you and your parents/family? Are your parents excited for you? Were they wanting you to go to college? What has that been like for you?

Landon: My parents were obviously excited for this. My family is pretty low key but I will say my dad is wearing lots of Twins gear lately, and he is excited to have people ask him why he is a Twins fan. He is pretty proud, excited to say that his son was drafted by the Twins.

Cory: Thank you so much for your time! I appreciate it, and good luck going forward with your career with the Twins! Have a great day!

Landon: Thanks, have a great day too!

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Thank you to Landon for taking time, a couple of times, to respond to questions for Twins Daily. Hopefully his visa will arrive soon, and he'll get to Florida and start working! Feel free to ask questions below, and/or wish him Good Luck!

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If you missed any of the other Q&As with Twins 2017 draft picks, you can check them here:

#1 - Royce Lewis

#1 Comp - Brent Rooker

#2 - Landon Leach, Part 1

#3 - Blayne Enlow