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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Q&A: Seth Mejias-Brean talks College World Series, pro debut

Gordon+Bates%2FArizona+Daily+Wildcat%0A%0AShortly+after+winning+the+College+World+Series%2C+Seth+Mejias-Brean+was+drafted+by+the+St.+Louis+Cardinals.
Gordon Bates/Arizona Daily Wildcat Shortly after winning the College World Series, Seth Mejias-Brean was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Seth Mejias-Brean was the starting third baseman on the National Champion Arizona baseball team. He was named a Third Team Louisville Slugger All-American and made the All-Pac 12 team, only to be drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 8th round. It’s been a good summer for him, to say the least.

Now Mejias-Brean plays for the Class A Billings Mustangs in the rookie Pioneer League. Through 35 games he has a .355 batting average, putting him fourth in the league.

Even more impressively though, Mejias-Brean went on a 22-game hitting streak, the longest streak in the Pioneer League this season, and the Mustangs currently sit in first in their division.

The Daily Wildcat caught up with Mejias-Brean to discuss the College World Series and his instant success in the minors.

DW: Is there any way you could have had a better few months of baseball?

Seth Mejias-Brean: Definitely not. Winning the National Championship is probably one of the best things that’s happened in my baseball career. And then coming [to the Patriot League] and actually have a little bit of success right when I get out here, which is great for [my career]. So probably not, it’s been a great couple of months.

Did you think the championship run was a possibility at the start of regionals?

Definitely. I believed it was possible from the beginning. I didn’t know we were going to go undefeated, but I knew there was a possibility we were going to win it all.

Now that you’re almost two months removed from it, how does it feel to be the National Champion?

It feels great still. When I got [to Billings, Mont.,] in the beginning, people would congratulate me. ‘Oh, you’re from Arizona? Congratulations, congratulations!’ So just winning that, it follows you wherever you go. You’re always going to be a National Champion.

When did that feeling of reality set in that you actually won?

I think it hit me right when I got [to Montana] with everyone congratulating me. But now it’s kind of in the back of my mind.

What was it like having such a quick turnaround from the College World Series to the minors?

It was kind of a shock. Just getting over here and getting myself situated with this minor league. And [then] just to try and transition from college ball to Major League Baseball. It really was a great experience.

How does the league play compare between the two?

It’s a lot different. I think the big change from college ball to the minor leagues is that you’re playing every day. You have to be playing in games every day [versus] in college you have weekend series or five days a week. This is every day and you’re at the field for multiple hours. I think that’s the big thing for me — trying to transition from going to every day from [just] weekends.

How were you able to have success so quickly in the minors?

To be honest with you, I’ve just tried to keep my head level and not try to do too much. I don’t worry about how my hits came, but just worry about having good at-bats and putting good swings on the ball.

What was the celebration like after the National Championship, especially since you’re an older player on the team? Did you go out to celebrate?

We pretty much just stayed in and celebrated with the team to make sure we were all together. That was probably one of the best celebrations I’ll ever had in my life, with all those college guys … It was just a great time.

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