Catching Up With Charles Galiano

When we last spoke to Milwaukee Brewers catcher Charles Galiano, he had just gotten drafted and was preparing for life as a professional player. Now seven months later and with a season of pro ball under his belt, we were curious to see how he enjoyed his experience.

Our reporter David Moskowitz caught up with him and here’s what he had to say:

Can you describe what it was like to be a professional baseball player this past summer? How surreal was it?

The whole experience was unbelievable. Traveling all around the Northwest, a part of the United States I have never been before, allowed me to see some great things and meet people that are quite different than New Yorkers. Stepping on that ball field everyday with people wanting your autograph, thousands of fans, competing along side and against the best players in the country all contributed to a pretty surreal experience.

Did you get to meet any notable MLB players?

I did not get to meet any notable MLB players just yet, but I look forward to in Spring Training.

Did anyone mentor you? And did anyone give you any advice that really stood out?

Nobody particularly mentored me while I was out there. Conversations with my father did help at times as well as advice given by my coaches, but you are basically on your own out there. It’s a grind and you are expected to perform at an optimal level day in and day out.

How different is the college season compared to a professional season? Which do you enjoy more?

I definitely enjoyed professional baseball more, however, each had their perks. Accommodations as far as traveling and hotels were better at the collegiate level, however, moving up the ranks in pro ball that will definitely change. At the professional level, playing in stadiums with thousands of people and the thrill of knowing your playing against the best in the world definitely gives a more exhilarating on field experience over college baseball, which is ultimately the most important thing to me.

I know that you are taking classes now and are trying to finish up your degree.  Talk about how important it is to you to get that degree.

In this day and age the word ‘important’ would be an understatement for how demanding it is to have a degree for life after baseball whenever that may be. Especially when the degree is from such an academically well-respected University such as Fordham’s nationally ranked Gabelli School of Business. I plan to stay in baseball as long as I possibly can; however, you never know when life will throw you a curveball. You must always be prepared for whatever twists and turns life may take.

What have you been doing this offseason to prepare yourself for the upcoming season? Is there any area of your game that you have been particularly focused on?

I have been training basically everyday. My day usually starts with getting up and getting after a demanding lift, then getting my offensive and defensive work in for the day. I get so caught up in training sometimes I look back at my schedule and realize I was supposed to take a day off. As far as what I am focused on, I am working on getting rid of my leg kick to cut down on strikeouts while improving my consistency and feel for the strike zone. Also putting a lot of emphasis on getting my legs bigger and stronger.

When you aren’t training, what else are you doing with your time in the offseason?

When I am not training I am working with young players doing team workouts, catching clinics, along with individual hitting/catching lessons. I feel that it is my duty to pass on what I have learned and give back to the game that has given me so much over the years. When I am not training or teaching kids I am spending time with family. I spent a lot of time away from them last season and will be doing so again this coming season, so I want to be around them as much as I can while I’m home. The support I have received from my family has been unbelievable–I wouldn’t be where I am today both as a baseball player and as a person without them.

Do you have any advice for players who are looking to get drafted that you wish you knew earlier in your career?

Well, after being drafted twice, I can honestly say there is no damn rhyme or rhythm to the Major League Baseball Draft. I have seen guys that should have been drafted go undrafted, while I have also seen guys that were drafted who had no business even being on a draft board. Some of the best guys on my team were guys that signed for $500 as a free agent after going undrafted. It’s just the way it is with how the draft is set up. My advice would be to control what you can control and build your network. Your work ethic, attitude, and toughness all can be controlled on and off the field. The harder you work, the luckier you get and the more scouts, coaches, ex-players will be backing you, the better off you will be when draft day comes around. Utilize social media, make YouTube highlight videos and send them out to coaches, scouts, etc. Build that network, control what you can control and have that phone nearby draft day.