Playing out on the east end makes it difficult to get noticed sometimes. In the case of Southold LHP Luke Hansen–who announced his verbal commitment to Div-I Sacred Heart University on Friday–you can make up for that lack of notoriety with a dominating fastball. He had a tremendous season, compiling 101 strikeouts this season with a sub 1.00 ERA while guiding his team to a Class C Long Island Championship.
I had the chance to speak with him and here’s what he had to say…
Can you talk about the college recruiting process and how Sacred Heart came about?
I started talking to Sacred Heart towards the beginning of the summer after they saw me pitch in a tournament. I was also interested in a handful of other schools, some in the north and some in the south. I felt a good connection with the coaches at SHU and felt that it was a place I could play and succeed at. They ended up making an offer that fit my financial needs and one that was hard to turn down.
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Who have some influential people in your baseball career been?
Definitely my family. I have been around baseball since as long as I can remember. Whether it was my two brothers’ teams throughout the years, my dad’s baseball camp in the summer, or going to Hamptons College League games when my dad was coaching, I was always around the game.
Who are some MLB players you look up to?
A current guy would be Chris Sale.. He’s got more of a slim build with whippy arm action which is an aspect I feel similar in. Watching old clips of Pedro Martinez and his ability to dominate some of the best hitters using his changeup is something I look up to as well.
How much did you enjoy the 2017 season in which your Southold team completely dominated Long Island?
Loved it. We knew we were going to have a talented team going into the season and despite losing in the southeast regional, it was satisfying to go undefeated in the regular season. I want to thank the senior class for everything, I’ve been with some of them since little league and they have been great.
What are your goals for 2018?
I want to get stronger, throw harder and improve my off speed pitches along with command. It sounds simple, but I want to put myself in a place to reach my ultimate goal of playing professional baseball.
Was baseball always your favorite sport?
Yes, always. I’ve enjoyed basketball too, just not in the same way baseball always has been for me.
Do you feel like you need to work harder or perform better coming from the east end as opposed to players who compete in Class AA and A?
Yes I do feel like I want to prove that talent can be found anywhere. Coming out of Southold and being a successful athlete would be a dream come true for me.
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