by Vinny Messana
One of the aspects that makes Stony Brook a perennial contender is their propensity to recruit top-notch players from–not just the northeast–but the west coast as well.
By getting the players that already competed against the nation’s elite, allows the Seawolves to beat the best programs in the country.
In the case of Tyler Honahan, he was a cross-country recruit that did not need to be sold on the program due to the fact that he grew up in Rocky Point and as a senior in HS, watched closely on the program’s World Series run in 2012.
Four years and 20 wins later, Honahan stamped his place in Stony Brook folklore by getting selected in the 36th round by the New York Yankees.
He’s gotten off to a terrific start with the Pulaski Yankees of the Appalachian League. He is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA through 27.1 IP. He’s been especially difficult to square up–as he’s allowed only 14 hits while fanning 28.
I had a chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…
Can you describe your time at Stony Brook–notably in the relationships you built with coach Matt Senk, your pitching coach and your teammates?
I loved my time at Stony Brook, it was an awesome experience for me. Especially being from Long Island, I grew up in Rocky Point before moving to Colorado, and it was nice to be back home at a prestigious university like Stony Brook and have such great family support around me for four years. Coach Senk was a great coach to play for, he was all business. He has made that program better and better each year and now is a power house in the northeast. Coach Marron was my pitching coach for 3 years and Coach Brown for my senior year. They both were great coaches to be around every day and I learned a lot from both of them. I played with a great bunch of teammates in 4 years, I’ve made so many relationships and memories throughout my 4 years at Stony Brook. Every team I was apart of in those four years had an awesome group of ball players and I’m very fortunate to have had played for Coach Senk and have met so many great teammates over those 4 years.
What was it like coming in as a freshman directly following the College World Series run that got national attention? Was it a very loose atmosphere or did it seem much more business-like than you’d hoped for?
Well I committed my junior year of high school before the college World Series happen, I would get questioned why I chose Stony Brook. I would always mention to people that I grew up on Long Island and wanted to go back home, be around family and play division one baseball. Also go to one of the top academic universities in the country. It was definitely all business when I came to Stony Brook my freshman year. It was crazy to think Stony Brook was in the College World Series that summer before I got there. It was definitely an amazing opportunity to be able to be part of a program that made it that far and how we now had national exposure on us after the previous year they had. Everyone knew who we were, especially when we played teams down south and out west. Seemed like we had a target on our backs and everyone wanted to beat us.
You’ve gotten off to a great start to your professional career-arguably better than your college career–how do you explain that?
Yeah I have loved every second of professional baseball so far this summer. I feel great on the mound, just a change of scenery and I feel like I have gotten better as a pitcher. My pitches and mechanics have gotten a lot better since being in the Yankees organization and it’s nice to be able to face wood bats. All I want to do when I get out on the mound is to help the team out as best as I can and get outs when I hear my name called out of the bullpen.
Having gotten accustomed to the cold weather in the northeast do you feel it will prepare you well for a full season in pro ball?
Yeah I would say so, Northeast weather is definitely the toughest weather to play in by far. But if you don’t complain and get through it, you can play anywhere. I loved being able to play in the northeast, it makes you a more tough-minded ball player.
It’s been an awesome experience so far in professional baseball. I have met so many great teammates and staff personnel and have became close with all of them. It was a surreal moment for my family and I when I heard my name called in the draft. Especially being picked by the Yankees made it even better, always grew up a Yankee fan, going to a lot of games as a young kid, it was just an unreal moment in my life and I’ll never forget it.
What are your plans for the offseason and goals for 2017?
My plans so far in the offseason is that I am hoping to go on a vacation some where. I’m real excited to get ready for spring training, working out, running and throwing will be a lot of fun and can’t wait to get started. I’ve never been apart of an offseason, I am so used to having to go to school and worry about my school work. I am so happy that I have my bachelors degree now and plan on doing lessons and coaching a team in the fall.
