Oh, brother: Draft prospect aims to join NFL, MLS and MLB siblings
PHOENIX — How is it that 4 brothers may probably make it into the skilled ranks of their chosen sport inside seven years of each other? Drue Hackenberg, MLB’s No. 187 Draft prospect and the youngest of the Hackenberg professional clan, divulged the key on the 2023 Draft Combine.
Chocolate milk. And a lot of it.
“That was kind of what we grew up on,” Hackenberg stated. “Adam [a catcher in the White Sox organization], he actually loves chocolate milk. We’re all grateful that we now have the mother and father we now have, clearly they had been each athletes themselves — it didn’t come simply from nowhere — however all of us constructed upon each other as we went via it. Obviously, these guys paved the best way for me.
“Just growing up and competing, we kind of learned how to compete at a high level early.”
Drue has primarily ridden his sinker-slider combo up Draft boards over two seasons within the Virginia Tech beginning rotation. His dedication to play in Blacksburg below head coach John Szefc derived virtually solely from his determination to forgo different athletic alternatives with the intention to go well with up below legendary left-handed reliever Billy Wagner, the top coach at The Miller School in Charlottesville, Va., throughout his highschool years.
“I mean, that guy taught me, he made a great foundation for me just mechanically and everything,” Hackenberg stated of Wagner. “He also taught me a lot of life lessons that I’m going to take away for the rest of my life. How to put your nose to the grindstone and keep grinding every day, do the little things right and at the end of the day, it’ll all work itself out. Great person to learn from.”
Stating that enjoying below Szefc was like going from “Billy to Billy” in a means, Hackenberg’s mentors, of which there have been many, are in his case, uniquely as near residence as it might get.
Eldest brother, Christian, was a second-round decide of the New York Jets within the 2016 NFL Draft; Brandon, was a first-round decide within the 2021 MLS TremendousDraft; Adam, was an 18th-round collection of the White Sox that very same yr and has climbed as excessive as Double-A Birmingham. When the group will get collectively, “it’s still a madhouse” however one which has undoubtedly formed Drue’s improvement.
“You learn the tough parts about the business side of things and, you know, just going to the right place matters as well,” Hackenberg stated. “Each of you learn adversity in each way and you kind of learn from it even without experiencing it yourself. So I take away a lot from all those guys and I can’t be more thankful being the last one and to have all of them to kind of lead the way.”
The final of the Hackenberg lineage for this technology, Drue — who believes that though it will be a battle, would strike out all three of his brothers — hasn’t shirked the highlight that comes together with his final identify or chosen profession path.
“I’m always up to meet people and to get a picture with somebody and make their day or anything like that,” Hackenberg stated. “I’m always there for the fans and I always love the support.”
Just 3 times in large league historical past have pitcher/catcher brothers made up a battery (not together with in 2021 when infielder Andrew Romine threw to catcher brother, Austin) — Norm and Larry Sherry, 1962; Jim and Ed Bailey; 1959; Bobby and Billy Shantz 1954-55. But for Drue, going from throwing together with his brother, Adam, of their yard to the brilliant lights of an enormous league setting can be the fruits of hours spent collectively honing their craft, reciprocating the robust love they’ve thrived on.
“Obviously, it would be a very special moment between me and him,” Hackenberg stated of Adam probably being his batterymate on the subsequent degree. “So hopefully one day that might happen. And if it does, I mean, we’re going to cherish that for the rest of our lives, for sure.”
