Latest / College Baseball Now / INTERVIEW: Rylan Lujo | Ep. 033

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INTERVIEW: Rylan Lujo | Ep. 033 · College Baseball Now

0:01
Speaker 1: On today's episode, I'm joined by the University of Georgia
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center fielder Riley Luho to discuss the process of transferring
0:07
to Georgia, his MLB draft hopes and professional goals, as
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well as the legacy he's living and expanding upon.
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Speaker 2: You get ready to join us for this episode of
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College Baseball.
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Speaker 3: Now, Yeah, there ain't no problems, no problems.
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Speaker 4: That don't want problem.
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Speaker 1: Yeah, let me not sitting chat.
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Speaker 3: They know what was going for Maney hit a bat
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B did grab a couple wins with a D?
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Speaker 2: I D if it's even on the kid, I had
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to do a B I G. I can never beat
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average and they want to problem with the boy. They
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don't want no statics. How don't need so coach Ton
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run a week guy? I want to test that Tim
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was standing to control.
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Speaker 1: Run the game.
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Speaker 4: Best believe of signing.
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Speaker 5: Dogs counted m o wins, yet love it when they
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count me yaut counting up the least.
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Speaker 2: Sudden shame? Why ben at dogs?
1:00
Speaker 4: I believe I run the game? To me.
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Speaker 2: That magic.
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Speaker 4: Knock him out. Don't want to stand.
1:29
Speaker 1: Prospects live proud to present College Baseball Now we are
1:33
glad to be here with you.
1:34
Speaker 2: At home.
1:35
Speaker 1: Starting with of course, your friends, your host, your boy
1:38
Drew Wheeler, director of Amateur Scouting at Prospects Live and
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joining me. Is not Josh Catlan, it's not JB. Sebastiano,
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it's not Jake Barjorie. It's Rilin Loo of the Georgia Bulldogs,
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Ryland Hike.
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Speaker 2: To have you with us, Man, is there?
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Speaker 4: That video? Hyped me up? Man?
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Speaker 2: Bro, Thank you? I really appreciate that a lot. Uh,
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we gotta get We gotta get some some Georgia in there.
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I was looking. I was like, man, I don't think
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I've got a new Georgia in that video.
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Speaker 1: So when we when we get the we get the update,
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I'll have to get some Ryle and Loujo. You know,
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I've got some plays in mind that I think will
2:12
be pretty sick I've seen recently. But we'll get to
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that in a minute. Obviously, so hyped to have you here.
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The athleticism of the podcast has increased exponentially. No offense
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to Jake or Josh or JB. They're all good athletes
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in their own right, but you have increased the athleticism.
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Certainly we can cover center field now with this team. Uh,
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i'd love to get to know you a little better man.
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Like I was telling you before we jumped on. Part
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of this is getting an opportunity for fans, not just Georgia,
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but maybe of an MLB team, maybe some some other
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fans of the game to get to know you better.
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Speaker 2: So I've got a couple easy questions first, if that's.
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Speaker 1: Okay, Yeah, what song or maybe what artist has been
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on repeat for you lately?
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Speaker 5: The last couple of years, I listened to rod Wave
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kind of if you ever seen me in the choy
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That's why I'm listening to percent of the time.
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Speaker 1: The Street Runner has been on my most listened to
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songs for maybe the last two months. Yeah, that's insane.
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Insane pool with Broadway.
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Speaker 5: The other five percent like Spanish music because I just
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try to trying to listen to it.
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Speaker 2: Any any suggestions for the folks at home.
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Speaker 4: Anything by rod Wave? I love it? There you go five.
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No matter what song it is.
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Speaker 1: Broadwave makes me feel like I'm always on the beach
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driving in a really nice car. So that's a good lie.
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I like the I like the way it makes me
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feel exactly. If you could have any superpower, what would
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you choose a.
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Speaker 2: Dang.
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Speaker 5: Uh Maybe I guess I'm I want it to be
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something baseball. I want to be able to like have
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like insane power, like crazy, like if I ever hit
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the ball, it's just seven hundred feet easy.
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Speaker 2: Okay, that'd be great.
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Speaker 1: I mean, and then it ties right into what you're doing,
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so it's a practical power.
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Speaker 4: Yeah.
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Speaker 2: You know a lot of people would say I'd like to.
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Speaker 1: Fly, which I guess could help in the outfield. They're like,
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I want to go invisible, but like, how does that
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help in.
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Speaker 2: Base I don't anymore?
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Speaker 5: All right, and you would just be like locked up
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in the cell and yeah, beginning or something.
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Speaker 2: No, I'm with you. I think that that's probably true.
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Speaker 1: Uh Okay, I expect a good answer out of you
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on this one. What is your favorite food and why.
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Speaker 5: My favorite food I gotta do? I mean, I gotta
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do a classic Cuban sandwich.
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Speaker 2: Okay, all right, Okay, I like that.
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Speaker 1: I had a really big stint with some Cubans maybe
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a couple of years ago. I hadn't had one a minute,
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so maybe this is my sign. Last question I got
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for you, would you rather hit a game tying home
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run or make a diving catch? To save a run
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while you're tied.
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Speaker 5: Up a game time home nice. Nothing better than entire
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sports in a home. The job's done and then you
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can just chill go as so as you want. On
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the basis, Yeah, man, that's I'll take your word for it.
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Speaker 1: I've never hit a home run playing for Georgia, so
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I'll take your word for it. I want to talk
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about your grandfather. I know that a lot of people
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have asked you a lot of questions about him, but
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I'm really curious because you have such a unique perspective.
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Speaker 2: So if you're unaware at home, Ryland's grandfather is former
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Major leaguer Rinnie Stennett, the nineteen seventy nine World Series
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champion with the Pirates. He's one of only two players
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in history of MLB.
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Speaker 1: To have seven hits in a nine inning game, something
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I thought was really cool. A member of the first
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all black or all Latino starting line up in Big
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league history. Really a trendsetter, a trailblazer in a lot
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of ways. But I want to talk about the guy
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that the world didn't know. What's something in the world
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might not know about your grandfather.
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Speaker 2: That you just loved about.
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Speaker 4: He was super, super competitive like a lot of athletes.
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Speaker 5: But I feel like a lot of people just hear
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that and they're like, Okay, competitive, Like obviously you're competitive.
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You gotta play baseball, like you gotta be competitive to
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play a sport. But no, I'm talking about like anything
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he ever did, he wanted to be the best. I
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got a quick story for you. He used to live
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in the villages a couple hours north from where I was.
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Speaker 4: And.
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Speaker 5: He and we went up and visited him one time
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and there was pools all all around the area because
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it's like one big, nice community and.
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Speaker 4: In a pool and then I think my mom says
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a joke.
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Speaker 5: She's like, Okay, who could swim fastest this side to
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this side? And then he's like, oh, that's obviously me,
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And we all started lasting and he's and he's like,
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you guys don't know that I'm I'm I'm a swimmer,
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and and we're like, oh, he's he's dead series right now.
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And so all of a sudden, like and then do you?
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And then every single every situation like that, and that
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it's that in itself is a learning lesson to where
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it's like, oh, you want to be the best, you
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gotta think of the best, no matter what, like no
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matter what, especially.
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Speaker 4: In baseball when it sets a heart mental game.
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Speaker 5: So taught me so much on just like on that
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he was so he's such a competitive person.
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Speaker 2: That's awesome.
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Speaker 3: You know.
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Speaker 2: I love that story.
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Speaker 1: And like you said, man, confidence is so key in life,
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but especially in baseball. Like you said, it'll grind you
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down and make you really question a lot. But uh,
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you know you you tied into it really well. I
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was gonna ask next, what sort of baseball advice did
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he give you that had like carried with you even
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still today, or do you have any kind of strong
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baseball memories with him outside of just the general competitive
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streak that I think you got to share.
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Speaker 5: Yeah, a time. I mean we used to go. I
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was a kid, you know, down in South Florida, it's
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always hot.
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Speaker 4: I was a kid. I didn't want to practice.
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Speaker 5: He would he would take me to practice, take me
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to the field on a random Thursday after school, three o'clock,
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five o'clock and I'm my grandpa, I don't want to
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be here now it's hot. He's like, okay, what you
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But you gotta practic, You gotta work on your hand.
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You gotta work on your speed, you gotta work on
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your hitting, and I was like, I want to do this,
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and then it's just funny looking back at it, it's
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like nothing, there's nothing else I would rather do than
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go do that with him right now, you know, So
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just understanding those moments and understanding what he was trying
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to teach me there, it's cool.
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Speaker 4: You know. So it's it's sick.
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Speaker 1: I love that man, and you're right, I mean, looking
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back now, I think everybody can relate to that. You know,
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you want the things that in the moment you didn't appreciate.
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You on it back and you'd give anything to have
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it again. But I love that and love that he
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and you share that same competitive street man. You mentioned
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it again, great tie in. You are from South Florida. Uh,
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you played high school ball and a little place. Folks
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have heard of Stoneman Douglas. Your teams, if I'm not mistaken,
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you're gonna have to check me here. Four Class seven
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A state titles, three national titles. So y'all just y'all
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just didn't want to lose ever, clearly, Uh, what was
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it like playing for a high school team like Stoneman
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Douglas that attracted so much national attention.
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Speaker 4: It's amazing.
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Speaker 5: It's it's exactly what you want as a competitor, you
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know how we just talked about and it just goes
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again like if you're a competitor, you want to be
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with the best. So as soon as I got to
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high school, I was with the best. The first day
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I ever stepped on campus, I was with the best.
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I was playing with big guys, Willman, Anthony, Kobe Mayo,
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Gavin Contecello, Devin fitzgaild, you know those guys that I
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just named it all in the majors or in the system,
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you know. So it's like you step on campus and
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you with some great guys and then along the lines
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go o ohash, he's gonna get He's gonna go in
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the first round this year. You know, you got some
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studs on that in that school and on that team,
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and just and just the span of five years. So
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just being able to be around those guys who.
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Speaker 4: Really elevates your game and it elevates fast.
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Speaker 2: Absolutely.
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Speaker 1: Uh. You know, I think you covered it, But that
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kind of experience from being pushed and challenged alongside like talent,
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you know, just think about the average public school, and
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you know, I don't want to pick on it. Let's
10:46
pick on Tennessee because that's where I'm from. The average
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public school, you're gonna have probably some kids that are
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really talented, some kids that just love the game, and
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then some kids are just there because they were made
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to be. The Talent's not all everybody's want to is
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in different places. You in Stoleeman Douglas. You know, you
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just named a litany of incredible talent that you're being
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pushed up against and trained like and with from the jump.
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Speaker 2: That's incredible.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, and I forgot and I forgot a couple of names.
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Speaker 5: Jake Clemente with the Marlins, Christu Oil with the Marlins.
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What the floida gate is? I mean, you got so
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many absolute studs. It's like it's ridiculous. There's no there's
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no schools that have that kind of that kind.
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Speaker 4: Of just names. And the last five, I mean, it's
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it's talent talent.
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Speaker 2: It's it's loaded with talent for sure.
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Speaker 1: Uh So from from high school obviously, you had your
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freshman year last year at Dayton under Scott h coach
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Scottland South. You were named a first team Freshman All
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America by the National College Baseball Riters of America. I'm curious,
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what was it.
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Speaker 2: About Dayton that most attracted you as a player as
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a freshman.
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Speaker 4: Uh, they wanted me a lot.
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Speaker 5: There was a lot of schools that I felt, you know, overlooked,
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felt underappreciated and just all so.
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Speaker 4: I have an older brother, Yeah, his name is Rolando Lujo.
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He went.
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Speaker 5: He had a lot of friends that committed to bigger
12:09
schools or whatever, and I saw that they didn't play
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it their first year, their first year, and I wanted
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to play my first year. So I didn't want to
12:18
go to the biggest school, but I didn't want to
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go to you know, JU go D three. I wanted
12:23
to go D one, but I wanted to go to
12:25
a smaller mid major school to be able to get
12:27
numbers and then leave that first year, but my first
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But I really just wanted to to play my freshman year.
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So when they an't offered me, and they really they
12:37
really seemed awesome on the call.
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Speaker 4: They were very respectful.
12:42
Speaker 5: It just it just felt like a felt like a
12:45
great fit for what I wanted, and I mean it
12:49
was it was an awesome time being there.
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Speaker 4: They cheated me. Well, chooting me awesome, especially with Scott.
12:54
Speaker 5: I didn't I committed when coach Jason King was there
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and he left, and then I was like, oh my god,
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what am I going to do?
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Speaker 4: And then Scott came and Scott ended up being one.
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Speaker 5: Of the best coaches I've ever coached, I've ever played for.
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Speaker 1: That's awesome, man, great than it worked out that way,
13:12
and I'm glad they treated Joelle. And I mean, clearly
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your goal of playing from the jump worked out for you.
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I mean, you had an incredible year last year, really
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stood out. Jumped off the page, jumped off the screen,
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jumped off the field in a lot of instances.
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Speaker 2: But that's a you know, that is what it is.
13:28
After that season, though, you entered the transfer portal.
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Speaker 1: You know, last year I got I got an opportunity
13:33
to talk to a lot of guys like yourself who
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kind of were either in the portal as we spoke,
13:37
or had been in the portal.
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Speaker 2: Everybody always talks about how that's such an interesting process.
13:42
Speaker 1: I forget who it was, but they described it as
13:44
being like the most interesting guy at the party, where everybody,
13:48
it seems like, is flocking to you and wants to
13:50
talk to you, and it's like almost overwhelming in a sense.
13:54
What do you remember about kind of entering your name
13:57
and then.
13:57
Speaker 2: Those first couple of days afterwards, what stands out about that?
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Speaker 5: Yeah, what stands out is at first you think it's very,
14:03
very exciting, which it is at first, but then the
14:07
first day, a couple of teams started calling me, a
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couple teams started calling, a couple of texts, a lot
14:12
of emails and talking about advisors, like hey, what about
14:17
this school at this school, and they're like, yeah, just
14:19
give it time, they're going to reach out.
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Speaker 4: They're going to reach out.
14:22
Speaker 5: So first it's very exciting and it's cool to talk
14:24
to all these schools because you know, it's like just
14:27
a year ago, nobody wanted me, nobody was talking to me,
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and now I played one year freshman year in college
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and all of a sudden, all these power forwards that
14:36
just they all found my number somehow, And then so's
14:39
it's it's that kind of a situation. And then a
14:42
couple of weeks go by, a while you're into transfer portal,
14:44
and then all of a sudden it's like, Okay, now
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it's not exciting. Now it's more like anxiety of like
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I want to know where I'm going, and two months
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I have no idea where I'm going to be, no idea.
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Speaker 4: I just want to find my home.
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Speaker 5: And then but like that's where your advisors or my
15:03
advisors were there with me at that time, and just like, hey,
15:06
trust the process.
15:07
Speaker 4: Understand that you.
15:09
Speaker 5: Know a lot of a lot of these schools are
15:11
still playing in playoffs because you know a lot of
15:13
power forwards are still are still in it. You know,
15:16
they're trying to go to Omaha and do these big,
15:18
these big things, and but yeah, it's a it's definitely
15:22
a big roller coaster, the chance of portal. It's exciting
15:24
and it's nervous, and it's exciting again when when when
15:28
you commit somewhere right and the game country it ends
15:33
up good.
15:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I I think about what you said
15:36
about it being anxious, and and that's exactly the kind
15:39
of emotion that I would feel, is I know, it's
15:42
got to be exciting, like you said, that kind of
15:44
initial rush of and especially for you such a competitor,
15:47
you know, to feel like, oh this feels good, Like
15:48
everybody's seen what I can do and now.
15:50
Speaker 2: They want they won't me to play with them, like
15:52
that's got to feel good.
15:53
Speaker 5: But then and it's different, especially like if you were
15:56
if you talked to a lot of schools and then
15:58
say you went to a big school, a power Ford,
16:02
and then you transfer from a power forward to a powerfoy,
16:05
it's probably not It's still exciting, but it's not nowhere
16:08
near as exciting as if you didn't talk to nobody,
16:11
nobody wanted you, and then you went to a small
16:13
school and then you're talking to these powerfoards, these schools
16:16
that you've dreamed about, and you're like, oh my goodness,
16:18
it's possible to go to this school. You know, could
16:22
you create these images in your head? And then sure
16:25
it ends up cool.
16:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it ended up very cool. Obviously for you,
16:30
it ended up very cool with the University of Georgia. Now,
16:33
I do want to ask what were those kind.
16:35
Speaker 1: Of initial conversations like with Georgia, with whether it was
16:39
coach Bennett or Coach Coggan or coach Johnson, what were
16:42
those initial conversations, Like what do you remember about that?
16:45
Speaker 2: Uh?
16:45
Speaker 5: Yeah, Coach Coggan called me, started talking to me, and
16:48
I was like okay, And after I got the phone
16:50
with him. I called my my advisor, and then I
16:55
called them and I was like, hey, coach Coggan just
16:56
called me. George interested blah blah blah blah. And they
16:59
talked and they talk to each other a lot about me.
17:04
And then that whole process just goes on and on
17:06
and on. And then that was happening with a few
17:08
other schools. But then the but the difference about Georgia
17:12
was the next day, Corgan calls me again, and then
17:17
that that same day, two hours go by, Corgan calls
17:20
me again, and then okay, and and then the next
17:24
day Corgin's like, hey, why haven't you committed? What do
17:26
we need to do?
17:27
Speaker 4: You know?
17:27
Speaker 5: And then so just that sense of urgency, it shows,
17:31
It shows care.
17:33
Speaker 4: It shows care.
17:34
Speaker 5: So that's what you need from the school when you're
17:37
when you want to go somewhere, if they want you,
17:40
then that shows.
17:40
Speaker 4: And that's something that as a player you appreciate.
17:45
Speaker 2: I get that. It feels like consistency, right exactly.
17:48
Speaker 5: There's one hundred players in the transit portal, but he's
17:51
calling you four times and two days so that you know,
17:55
So that's that that matters absolutely.
17:58
Speaker 2: Man. I love that. I'm glad that it went's so good.
18:00
Speaker 1: Uh so beyond that, and I think that's probably gonna
18:04
be a top answer to this next question. That consistency,
18:07
the fact that they showed you they cared. What was
18:09
it that sold you on coming to Athens?
18:13
Speaker 4: I mean, don't want to say it needs to be sold.
18:17
You know.
18:17
Speaker 5: And when you come from you know, mid Mages, you
18:24
just see the I mean you look up one time
18:26
on the facilities and you look up just the fan base,
18:31
you look up the uniforms, and then you look up
18:33
you know it's the SEC. We're going up against the
18:37
best competition. That's something that me and my advisor talked
18:40
about a lot. They just wanted me to end up
18:42
in the SEC. And I mean, it's just a it's
18:45
just a great spot to play ball. Yeah, man, down south,
18:49
close to Florida, uh family, So.
18:54
Speaker 1: There's something about baseball in the South. Man, it's just better.
18:57
But I don't want to I don't want to say
18:59
that and get anybody else upset. But you know, anyway,
19:02
let's talk about this year. You've really taken to SEC play.
19:06
It's like you said, you and your advisors you wanted
19:08
to be against the best, and boy, you're succeeding against
19:11
the best Ryland thus far. If my numbers are correct,
19:14
slashing four oh three, four fifty eight six eighty one.
19:18
That's an ops of eleven thirty nine, insane against conference.
19:23
And if I'm not mistaken, you've only struck out eleven
19:26
times this season.
19:27
Speaker 2: That's insane.
19:30
Speaker 5: Well, I try to. Yeah, I don't like checking out, man,
19:34
I don't like it.
19:35
Speaker 2: That's great, that's a good that's a good trick to have.
19:38
Speaker 1: I know you, like your grandfather, you were an infielder initially,
19:42
but now you're playing center field every day. What was
19:46
that transition like? And, like you said, against better competition
19:49
and on such a big stage, what was that transition
19:52
like from the infield to centerfield?
19:54
Speaker 2: Oh?
19:55
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's something that I uh that I pride myself on.
19:58
I pride myself on being very visit. I prove myself
20:01
on speed. I prove myself on just being able to
20:04
play anywhere you want me to play. So that's what
20:07
me and coach Cogan talked about a lot on the phone.
20:10
Speaker 4: You know.
20:10
Speaker 5: He said, okay, what what what? We're gonna use you
20:14
wherever you fit. And then I was like, okay, I'm
20:16
one hundred percent down for that.
20:18
Speaker 4: Let's do it.
20:19
Speaker 5: And so I knew that coming in here. There was
20:21
a good communication with that, and and yeah, I'm just
20:25
trying to do the best I can try to learn
20:27
to learn learn the position.
20:30
Speaker 4: It is a little harder than I thought.
20:32
Speaker 5: It's it's not as easy as it looks just catching up,
20:36
just catching the ball. You gotta read it, you gotta
20:38
understand spins, you gotta you know, there's a lot there's
20:40
a lot more to it than I thought.
20:41
Speaker 4: So I got a lot more respect for outfres now.
20:44
Speaker 2: But that's good.
20:46
Speaker 4: But I am. I am figuring it out.
20:49
Speaker 1: Uh.
20:50
Speaker 2: I'll tell you man, I think the work's paid off.
20:53
Speaker 1: I think I alluded to it a minute ago when
20:54
we were talking about the intro video.
20:56
Speaker 2: I uh, I've seen a couple of catches.
20:59
Speaker 1: I'll go and call one out specifically this past weekend
21:02
in the uh.
21:03
Speaker 2: I think it was the Saturday game with Old Miss.
21:05
Speaker 1: The catch and center was just ridiculous, Like I come
21:09
up out of the couch like, oh my gosh, look
21:12
so crazy.
21:13
Speaker 2: Stuff. Loved that.
21:14
Speaker 1: But uh, you know, in that same vein that same game,
21:18
even I've seen you, I mean, punish a ball and
21:21
this is coming. You're you earlier said I wish I
21:23
could be super strong hit the ball seven hundred feet.
21:26
I mean, dag, I was four hundred feet not enough, fraud.
21:28
Speaker 2: You're already killing baseball.
21:30
Speaker 5: Bro, Hey, you want to know better.
21:37
Speaker 2: That's this competitive man, that's your competitive. But yeah, I
21:41
mean you're you're hitting one hundred plus.
21:44
Speaker 1: Mile prower exit velos, four hundred plus foot homers already.
21:49
I got a note coming from the dude who's sitting
21:51
here saying I want to hit seven hundred foot What
21:53
are you doing to build that strength and add more.
21:55
Speaker 2: Power to your game?
21:57
Speaker 4: Yeah, just my io, just understand that.
22:00
Speaker 5: And everything looks different, the just the strengthen looks different,
22:05
The strength coach looks different.
22:06
Speaker 4: Everything is a little bit more serious.
22:07
Speaker 5: Everything is a little bit more building you a little
22:09
bit better to get to the next to that next level.
22:12
So I do a lot of work with our strength
22:15
coach over here, Duncan Lutz, and he just he organizes,
22:21
we do a lot of testing, uh, like my whole
22:24
body and seeing what's weak, what's not mobile, all that stuff,
22:28
and and we're just and we and he individualizes plans
22:34
towards me. So we do stuff like specifically for me.
22:38
So if I have if my ankles are unmobile, then
22:41
we do stretches like made workout for that. And then
22:45
if my quads are stronger than my hamstrings, and we
22:48
do a little bit more hamstrings to even it out.
22:50
Speaker 2: Stuff like that. Man, that's that's incredible.
22:53
Speaker 1: I love the biomechanics going to individualize for you.
22:57
Speaker 5: And everyone has something different, so everything works for you.
23:00
And a guy on the team, man, I love that.
23:04
Speaker 1: I need him to help me just kind of drop
23:06
about seventy five pounds right in the middle. But otherwise, Man,
23:11
all right, you said it a minute ago, you had
23:12
the opportunity opportunities. Now you're playing against the some of
23:15
the best competition in college baseball. I wanted to get
23:18
into some very hyper specifics with that though, So and
23:21
this may be a tricky question, so field time, feel
23:23
free to think about it a minute if you need to.
23:26
What has been the most difficult at bat you've had
23:29
this season?
23:30
Speaker 2: And why?
23:31
Speaker 1: Like, was it a certain picture, a certain like an angle,
23:34
or a look that he's given you, maybe a situation?
23:38
What was the one toughest at bat you can think of?
23:45
Speaker 5: I gotta say Mississippi State against I'm not sure how
23:50
to pronounce his name, but the left he that's very
23:53
who's been very good this year.
23:55
Speaker 4: Yeah. Uh, he shook me out on Uh. He was
23:59
doing like some two seams and very very very good
24:03
two seams.
24:05
Speaker 5: Like he's throwing like at my front hip and it
24:06
looked like it was gonna hit me and it came
24:08
back and like barely like touched his own And I'm like, oh, okay, okay,
24:12
if he could execute that pitch three times to my
24:17
cap because that's the unhittable I mean, right, but I'm
24:22
not going back off the plate and let him kim
24:24
me with the change up. But I'm not going to
24:26
come off of my plan. So he did that. He
24:30
did that like two more times or whatever, and it
24:32
struck me out and I was like, oh okay, and then.
24:37
Speaker 4: So that was a nasty at Bet.
24:39
Speaker 5: He was able to strike me out after that at BET,
24:43
I had a double off of him.
24:46
Speaker 2: That's awesome.
24:47
Speaker 1: Well, that that plays into my next question is I
24:49
was gonna say, if you had to face Tiko one
24:51
more time, Let's let's say postseason time rolls around and
24:55
you're facing him again, how would you adapt your mentality?
24:58
Or your playing in the box. Knowing now that that
25:01
was such a tricky at bat for you, that the
25:03
two scene kind of comes in, like you said at
25:04
your front hill, it just zips in just at the
25:06
last second.
25:07
Speaker 2: What would be the plan to adjust there?
25:09
Speaker 5: Yeah, I would just I'll just fill it off because
25:11
now I know what it looks like, So I would
25:13
file it off and just it's a dangerous pitch, bitch
25:16
pitch to throw because if he misses, if he doesn't
25:19
get it all the way inside and it leaves it
25:21
over the plate, then I'm doing a lot of damage
25:24
to it. So if he could, it's it's it's the
25:27
same thing. If he's gonna throw a pitch that's hard
25:31
to throw, then it's gonna make me hard to hit it.
25:34
Speaker 4: So I'm gonna let him.
25:35
Speaker 5: I'm gonna let him do that because sometimes as a hitter,
25:38
you're not gonna win.
25:39
Speaker 4: Everythingle on right, It's impossible.
25:41
Speaker 5: So sometimes you gotta understand if you want to be great,
25:46
then you're gonna have to beat me in a great way.
25:49
But if I get off the plate and I make it,
25:51
make him throw it easier pitch to get me out,
25:54
I'm not gonna let you have it the easy way.
25:57
You gotta do something great to get me out. So
26:00
if he is ballsy enough to do inside, I'll let
26:03
him do that.
26:06
Speaker 1: Lord, I need to clip that and play that before
26:08
I do anything that was inspirational.
26:12
Speaker 2: Geez, you're dropping some knowledge on folks. All right. Uh, Man,
26:18
you've been electric this year. Go figure.
26:21
Speaker 1: I mean, you were a killer last year. You've been
26:23
great this year. You're getting a lot of attention. That's
26:26
from scouts, analysts, MLB teams, front offices, orgs.
26:30
Speaker 2: Everybody's looking at you.
26:32
Speaker 1: Man, How are you balancing playing in the SEC, school work, family, social.
26:38
Speaker 2: Life, and then you've also got the draft this summer?
26:40
How are you balancing everything? Man?
26:44
Speaker 5: Just understanding that his life isn't It's not as you
26:52
can't overcomplicate it, right, It's not like you take one
26:54
thing at one thing as a time. I'm at the field,
26:58
That's all I am. I'm not at the field and
27:00
in school at the same time. I'm not taking VP
27:03
and thinking about the homework I got to do at nine.
27:06
You know, I'm not like I take one thing, one
27:09
thing at a time. And have you met me on
27:11
like a day to day basis and you and know
27:13
I'm just a chill guy, like I don't. I'm not
27:15
worried about I'm not worried about the draft when it's
27:19
when it's April.
27:21
Speaker 4: Is it April? I don't even know.
27:23
Speaker 2: Yeah, man, we're trend into May, but it's still April.
27:26
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm not.
27:27
Speaker 5: Like, I'm very relaxed and just I'm good, like the
27:32
the one thing that this dressed me out the most.
27:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, sure, portal. See that makes that makes sense though,
27:39
it's like you said, dude, that's anxiety.
27:40
Speaker 4: It was created.
27:42
Speaker 5: I've never felt the feelings that I've had in the
27:44
chance of Portal. Right now, I'm at the University of Georgia.
27:47
I thank God every day there is that, bro.
27:51
Speaker 2: I mean, you're blussed.
27:52
Speaker 1: You're blussed, I mean, and it worked out incredibly for you,
27:55
and I suspect it's gonna keep working out incredible for you.
27:59
Speaker 2: Only a couple more questions for Roland. Uh what would
28:01
you say your goals are in pro baseball?
28:05
Speaker 5: Just I mean, be as great as I could be. Uh, well, whatever,
28:10
you know, God has in story for me. Represent my
28:13
grandpa will. Yeah, we'll keep playing, keep playing ball. Uh,
28:20
that's surely is just I mean have as much fun
28:23
for as long.
28:23
Speaker 4: As I can. Yeah, just playing this game people call
28:27
a job.
28:28
Speaker 2: Definitely. Uh, you know man, you said it. Uh.
28:33
Speaker 1: Having that legacy of a family who's been in the
28:36
major leagues already, that that legacy is a huge thing.
28:40
Speaker 2: How how would you handle that opportunity to build.
28:43
Speaker 1: On what your grandfather did as a pro when some
28:46
people might look at that as pressure.
28:49
Speaker 2: How would you handle that opportunity.
28:52
Speaker 5: Just I mean, just as what I just said, like
28:55
understanding that it's a game. You know, there can't be
28:58
pasture and in a game, that's really the only thing.
29:02
Like pressure is a lie. Pressure is not something that
29:05
really exists. And I feel like if people understood that,
29:08
then everything you be so much happier, You be so
29:12
much more free.
29:13
Speaker 4: You know, like you don't have pressure.
29:14
Speaker 5: If me and you would go play withootball right now,
29:16
you have no pressure, Like you cannot tell me you're
29:18
gonna play.
29:19
Speaker 4: You just have it fun. It's the same thing.
29:21
Speaker 5: It's the same thing with everything, Like it's a game.
29:23
How are you gonna have pressure playing a game at the
29:27
end of the day, when you when you have like
29:28
a bigger purpose, it is no pressure.
29:33
Speaker 2: I love that all right, last question I got for you. Rolled.
29:36
Speaker 1: Let's assume that MLB front office folks, uh, fans of
29:41
an MLB team, maybe after the draft, some folks found
29:46
this interview, some decision makers right now, Georgia fans whoever,
29:51
Let's say they're watching this interview, they're watching this episode
29:54
of the podcast. If you could leave them with one
29:57
sentence to associate with you or remb member you by,
30:00
what would that one sentence be?
30:05
Speaker 4: I feel.
30:10
Speaker 5: I feel like I've been overlooked my entire life, and
30:15
I'm doing everything possible to be the greatest I could
30:21
be and not only poo others young, but prove myself right.
30:26
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, this folks, not only is he doing it,
30:31
but he's dropping kernels of gold on you right now.
30:34
Speaker 2: Write us down on your.
30:35
Speaker 1: Vision boards at home, because Ryland is giving you the
30:38
stuff you need to succeed. Oh my gosh, Ryland, thank
30:42
you brother so much for joining us. Wanted to tell
30:45
all of you at home, hope you've enjoyed this interview.
30:48
Hope you've enjoyed this episode of College Baseball. Now, want
30:51
to suggest if you're interested in more draft content, if
30:54
you're interested in stuff for your fantasy team, your baseball
30:57
card collection.
30:58
Speaker 2: Want to see who your favorite protein has got.
31:00
Speaker 1: Let check into their their their farm system, and their
31:04
prospects We got you at prospectslive dot com.
31:07
Speaker 2: Membership start as little seven dollars a month on the site.
31:10
Speaker 1: Of course, you can always get college baseball now on
31:12
all of your favorite podcasting places.
31:14
Speaker 2: Definitely check that out.
31:15
Speaker 1: Give us a five stars, a thumbs up, a gold star,
31:18
a smiley face, whatever the rating apparatus is on your
31:22
podcast app of choice, give us that and Ryland tell
31:25
the people at home where they can follow you on
31:27
social media.
31:28
Speaker 5: Sir, Instagram is my name, Lujo, TikTok Roland, Lujo, I
31:34
think with like two o's and Twitter rall Lujos just
31:38
my name.
31:39
Speaker 4: There you go.
31:40
Speaker 1: It's good stuff if you If you want to follow
31:42
me for whatever reason between our episodes, you may do
31:44
so on Twitter, on Blue Sky, on Instagram at Drew
31:48
is Okay, Prospects Live is at prospects Live. Ryland, thank
31:52
you brother so much for joining me. I cannot wait
31:55
to see what you do next. All you've done is
31:56
win thus far, and I can't wait to see how
31:58
you prove folks wrong over and over again, it's it.
32:02
Speaker 4: Thank you, it's awesome.
32:04
Speaker 1: Absolutely man. Until next time for Ryland, I'm Drew. Remember
32:08
to be nice to yourself, be nice to each other.
32:11
We'll see you next time.
32:13
Speaker 4: M