Blue Jays: An Interview with Jordan Groshans

Lee: I want to talk about your hitting philosophy. Recently, everyone in baseball is talking about launch angle, exit velocity, an efficient swing path. My first question would be, how much do you pay attention to that kind of stuff and then to follow up, can you tell me a little bit about your hitting philosophy in general?

Groshans: It all started with me and my dad. We’re best friends, we have a great relationship, and he’s my hitting coach. He built my swing from the ground up and he got me to where I am today as a player and a person. [In terms of the new data], I try not to pay too much attention because I know a lot of guys nowadays, they want to change their swings and change their approaches to meet those numbers.

The way I view it is, when I step in the batter’s box, the last thing I’m worried about is, “I’m going to hit this slider at a 30-degree launch angle.” I’m not worried about that. My goal is every time I step up to the plate, to absolutely just barrel the ball. And that’s another reason why I think I’ve been successful – just sticking to the approach. Not trying to do too much and not trying to hit a certain exit velocity when I go to the plate because at the end of the day, the pitcher is supplying the power. If your swing is there, your rhythm’s there, the numbers are going to be there anyway. That’s my outlook on hitting. I know a lot of people don’t like that but at the end of the day, that’s who I am and that’s who I’m going to be.

Lee: Obviously, you’re an incredibly talented hitter but there are questions about your defensive side of the game in terms of your future position. I know you’ve played a little shortstop and a little third base but where do you see yourself playing in the infield for your future?

Groshans: I love being a shortstop. I’ve been playing there ever since I was playing baseball. That’s a position that I love and a position that I feel like I’m really good at. But at the end of the day, whatever the organization needs, whatever they want me to be, that’s what I’m going to be. Right now, the only thing I can say on that is wherever they put me, I’m just trying to be the best defender I can be, whether that’s short or third. That’s something that I’ve really been working at – just being more consistent on the defensive side of the game.

Lee: My next question is a little off-topic. The Blue Jays were the first team to raise the pay of their minor league players by more than 50%. When you heard that news, how much did you and your teammates appreciate that effort and how much of a difference is it going to make in your lives?

We had some teammates go to tears over it because that helps their living situation. They’re going from six guys in a three-bedroom apartment to two guys in a two-bedroom apartment.

Groshans: It’s a big thing. I know a bunch of people are finally standing up about the minor league pay and what we have to go through. It’s a big deal for us. A lot of guys that didn’t make as much money as some of us [in the draft], it’s tough on them. They go home in the offseason and they have to work 9-to-5 jobs. They Uber, they do whatever they can to make that extra money for the season and I think what the Blue Jays did was a huge step forward in minor league baseball. We had some teammates go to tears over it because that helps their living situation. They’re going from six guys in a three-bedroom apartment to two guys in a two-bedroom apartment. So, we’re very grateful about it, very appreciative to the Blue Jays.

I then ended off the interview by asking some lighter questions that would help Blue Jays fans get to know more about Jordan Groshans.