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Top Prospect Alert Interview
Orioles Prospect L.J. Hoes
Maryland native L.J. Hoes is living the dream as one of the top infield prospects in the Baltimore Orioles organization. A former USA Junior National Team member, Hoes is currently in his third season of professional baseball after being selected with 85th pick in the 2008 June Draft. This season Hoes is off to a fast start with the Frederick Keys in the Carolina League. Top Prospect Alert is pleased to bring you an interview with Orioles second base prospect L.J. Hoes
TPA When did you first realize you were a pretty good baseball player? What was your little league / youth league experience like? Was there a time when you had to decide that you were a baseball player first and scale back participation in other sports as a kid?
L.J. Hoes Probably when I was 10 I realized I had future in baseball. I always played up when I was younger I was 10 playing against 13 year olds and still doing really well. I also played AAU basketball when I was younger so I really didn't get to hang out that much as a kid.
TPA You did a bunch of Perfect Game events in high school. What were those like for you? How did they help prepare you for playing pro ball, and what was it like to be playing with and against some of the best prep prospects in the country?
L.J. Hoes Perfect Game definitely helped me get to where I am today because of the great competition you play against at those tournaments. I mean you play against some of the best players in the country and it helps you find out what you need to work on to get better.
TPA What was your experience with the USA Junior National team like? Any memorable stories? Do you still keep in touch with any of your teammates from that group.
L.J. Hoes It was a great experience to represent the USA. I will always cherish that experience. I still keep in touch with a lot of those guys because we play against each other in pro ball so its pretty cool.
TPA Talk about your draft day? How did you find out you were drafted by the Orioles. Who was with you? Who was the first person you called? What were you're feelings that day?
L.J. Hoes Draft day is something I will never forget a lot of my family and friends were over my house watching the draft with me. We pretty much had a big cookout. I found out I was drafted by the Orioles by looking on the computer, and seeing my name flash across the screen was something special that I will never forget. I called my best friend Chris Wright first because he was at summer school in Georgetown and he wasn't able to make it.
TPA How tough was the decision to turn pro over going to play ball at North Carolina. Do you plan to continue your education there at some point in the future?
L.J. Hoes It was a very tough decision to turn down UNC but my family and I felt that is it was the better decision for me to go pro. I hope I could go back and go there. If not I will probably go to UMD.
TPA What was spring training like for you this year? Anything standout in terms of your development? What areas that you focused on in the off season have shown improvement this spring?
L.J. Hoes Spring training was fun this year a lot more laid back because I new what to expect this year. I really wanted to focus on improving my defense and continue to get better at second base.
TPA What is it like getting the chance to play this year in Frederick so close to where you grew up?
L.J. Hoes It's great to play close to home and get a lot of family support. But along with that there comes high expectations and more pressure. So far I am enjoying it. I think I had 30 members of my family at a game already this year and I will probably have more as the summer goes on.
TPA What's been the biggest challenge for you thus far as a pro?
L.J. Hoes The biggest challenge has been adjusting to quality pitching day after day. In high school you might only see one good pitcher every 2 weeks and in pro ball you see a good pitcher every night.
TPA Besides your parents, who have been the most influential people in your baseball career to this point and what advise have they given you?
L.J. Hoes I would have to say my friends because we hold each other to such high expectations and we make each other work hard. We have all grown up together and some of us still play sports now, and we just all make sure we are all working hard and striving for our goals.
TPA You already seem to have a ton of baseball cards out there. What was it like seeing yourself on a card for the first time? Did you collect cards as a kid? What's it like signing tons of cards?
L.J. Hoes It was a cool thing to see myself on a card but It really didn't phase me because hopefully one day I will have a card with a major league jersey on, and then I will maybe be a lot more excited about it. I was a little kid and I always wanted professionals autographs and now that I am a pro I know how it feels to be that fan that wants that autograph. I love and enjoy signing every autograph.
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