A Day in The Life of a Minor Leaguer With Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Jake Snider

Today I started a new project called ‘A Day in The Life of a Minor Leaguer.’ The first Pittsburgh Pirates prospect that will be featured in this series is outfielder Jake Snider.

Over my time at Rum Bunter, I have had the pleasure to cover many minor league players within the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Due to my constant coverage and player profiles, I have had the pleasure of speaking with a couple of these players personally. So, as a journalist, I decided to start a new project called ‘A Day in The Life of a Minor League Player.’

The first player contacted was Jake Snider, an outfielder the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted out of the University of Louisville in the 20th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Snider as previously covered on Rum Bunter as part of Pirate prospect profile series, you can read that here.

The first question Sndier was asked deals with who he is and what his story to this point was.

“I’m originally from Iowa I don’t remember much because I wasn’t even one yet, and then we moved to Champaign, Illinois, where my dad was the coach for the university around 16 years,” Snider had to say about his early years. Having a coach for a dad, one would imagine Jake was born with a glove and bat in his hand.

In his high school years, Jake said, “working with my dad and being around that field is how I grew up. In my junior year, my dad got the job at U of L (Louisville), and then during my senior year, I finished (high school) in Louisville.” I would say that one of the main reasons for Jake to play his three years at the University of Louisville was his father, Eric Snider, who not only serves as the hitting coach but as a recruiting coordinator.

Now, fathers coaching their sons is not uncommon. So, Jake was asked what was it like having your dad coach you?

“At the beginning of it, it was kind of weird I wouldn’t say it was weird as him being my coach, but it was weird because growing up I didn’t see him a lot because he was always off recruiting and when we would follow him everyone knew who my dad was,” Snider said. He added, “but after my first year, it was kind of cool to have him around every day, and every once and a while, we would butt heads, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

The conversation then shifted to the minors and what the grind is like. I asked him was that grind the hardest thing to do?

“I wouldn’t say it’s the most difficult thing to do at the end of the day if you’re not loving baseball, it’s difficult, but I love baseball.” The one thing he mentioned when you’re in the minors you have to “grow up a bit, but at the end of the day, I’m doing something I love, and it’s a blessing.”

During Jake’s career at Louisville, he was recognized as an Academic All-American, and I asked him did he always see baseball in his future and how seriously did he took his schooling?

“I really didn’t look to the future a whole lot I just tried to be the best player I could be, and when you come through the University of Louisville, there is no excuse you can’t become the best player you can be. Coach Mcdonnel, he’s big on school; it’s been 8-10 years the team had a GPA of 3.0 or better.” The team is so big on school they ask the players to take an extra 12-15 more hours worth of courses to graduate in 3.5 years or earlier.

Sticking with the Louisville theme, where he was graced with the nickname “Playoff Jake”, which I found on the Pirates Prospects website. I asked Jake what makes him excel in the high-pressure situation?

“I just came to the field every day with more attention to detail. During the season, I probably wasn’t as locked in as a should have been, and during the postseason, I just relaxed. I think I put too much pressure on myself during the regular season.”

The elephant was in the room, so I had to ask how he was doing during these crazy times with COVID-19 running rampant. His response?

“I’m trying to keep myself doing little things my parents live on a golf course, so that helps a little. I know for other guys, this is tough not being able to have a place to do stuff, so I feel for those guys, but this had to be done to keep everyone safe, so it is what it is gotta make the best out of the situation.”

One of the more interesting things I like to ask is the players’ aspirations and where they see themselves in three years. so, where does Jake see himself in three years?

“Ideally, I’d still love to be playing baseball for me it’s becoming the best player I can possibly be, and obviously with the Pirates, they do a great job of shaping you into becoming more of a man. So I would say in three years I’d still like to be playing baseball.”

When it comes to the Bristol Pirates hitting coach Jonathan Prieto and what he and Jake worked on, “we just worked on my timing since when I started playing it had been about a month,” Snider said.It appears the hard work paid off as he posted a .300/.429/.375 slash line and several hard-hit balls.

Overall, Mr. Snider or “Postseason Jake” was an excellent interview and gave this new project a great start. His humble nature and his attention to detail should take him far wherever he ends up when the season starts. Which, according to Jake, is an unknown factor due to them only being in spring training for about a week until the season was suspended. Make sure to keep an eye on the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect this season.