In the tenth round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Tanner Tredaway with the 290th overall pick. The Oklahoma product was coming off an impressive season in which he posted a .370 batting with 24 stolen bases. In the College World Series, Tredaway shined with an 8-17 performance in the Gainesville Regional and two home runs in Game Three of the Super Regional. With his Oklahoma career in the rearview, he is looking to make an impact in the Pirates organization.
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The Draft Process
Jamie Gatlin: What was the draft process like for you?
Tanner Tredaway: It was a little stressful. Leading up to it, you don’t know what to expect. The Pirates came in at the right time and made me a great offer. The guy who recruited me did a good job of keeping in touch with me, making me feel comfortable.
JG: What was it like to get that call from the Pirates?
TT: I was with my dad when I got the call. For the last two years, I was with a lot of people because I was expecting to get drafted then. I told my dad we wouldn’t do that this year. It was just him and my brother. We didn’t make a big deal out of it and just wanted to wait for it to happen. I’m happy with how it all worked out.
JG: Are you excited to face some of your teammates who were also drafted?
TT: I am excited. I have a few buddies from the last two-three years that I will be facing as well. It will be cool to see those guys again and to play against my teammates. It will be fun, and we will be talking a lot of trash to each other.
College Experience
JG: How did junior college shape you as a player?
TT: It made me stronger. Junior college baseball is a grind, and you’re really just there to play baseball. When I got there, I think I was 160 pounds, and I put on another ten pounds. It showed me how I needed to improve my game. I had a tough coach there, but they gave me direction, especially with conditioning, and I loved it.
JG: What are you going to take the most from your time at Oklahoma?
TT: What I’ll take the most is the mental aspect. When you make that jump from a junior college to division one, you go from facing guys who throw 85-86 to guys who throw 95-96. I had to figure out how I was going to deal with more failure. That was the most challenging transition; I had to learn to move on quickly from mistakes and not let them affect my game.
Tanner Tredaway. 2 bombs and a double today. Oklahoma up BIG pic.twitter.com/FUnB8UllOD
— 11Point7: The College Baseball Podcast 🎙 (@11point7) June 12, 2022
JG: What led to your success this year?
TT: I think this year it was being older and more mature. I came into the year with the mentality that I had nothing to lose. That was my mindset all year, and I was playing to win. I wasn’t playing for myself; I was playing to win with my teammates and focused on enjoying the game. This team was great about picking each other up; as a senior, I was trying to be a leader.
Tredaway Reflects on the Past and Looks Towards the Future
JG: What was it like playing in the College World Series?
TT: It was incredible. I had never got to experience any type of playoffs before in college baseball. When we made it past regionals, I was like, guys, we have a chance here. There were so much media and things that I didn’t realize I was going through because the main focus was to win. Now that I’ve stepped away and been able to look back, I’ve taken it all in.
JG: What is the biggest asset you bring to the Pirates?
TT: I think my willingness to win. Now that I’ve had the taste of what it’s like, I know the mindset a team needs to have to be successful. I can play the infield and the outfield and bring a lot of versatility. I call myself a Chris Taylor type of guy and do whatever the team needs. I’m going to play hard and give everything I got when I’m on the field.
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
