Venable '05 keeps on swinging

Four years later — with his protege flying through the minor league ranks as a member of the San Diego Padres' farm system — baseball head coach Scott Bradley still clearly remembers the first time he saw Will Venable '05 hit. In Venable's second year at Princeton, after a three-year layoff in which he focused on basketball rather than baseball, the sophomore stepped into Bradley's office and told him he wanted to try out for a spot on the baseball team.

Because Bradley knew Max Venable — Will's father — from their time as Major League Baseball players during the 1980s, he was happy to hear that the younger Venable wanted to play baseball for the Tigers. Bradley took Venable outside to see what he could do during batting practice. What happened next is a tale of prodigious natural talent that Bradley never tires of telling.

"On the first five pitches, he swung and missed," Bradley said. "Then he fouled off the next five. And on the next five, he hit them so hard he looked like he could be the best hitter on our team."

Venable struggled early on, batting just .244 in limited action as a sophomore. But by Venable's senior year, Bradley's prediction proved true, as the outfielder led the Tigers with a .385 batting average on his way to first-team All-Ivy honors. After graduation, the San Diego Padres picked Venable in the seventh round of the 2005 MLB draft.

In 2006, Venable completed his first full year in the minors as a member of the Class A Fort Wayne Wizards, and he swung to the tune of a .314 average. Venable showed both power and speed, knocking 11 balls out of the park while stealing 18 bases. He ended the year with 91 RBI and 86 runs scored.

His efforts were good enough to earn him the Padres' Minor League Player of the Year award, and Baseball America ranked him as the Padres' fifth-best prospect in their entire minor league system, despite only being in his first year of pro ball.

Prior to this season, the Padres invited Venable to their Major League spring training camp. As a non-roster invitee, Venable had little chance of making the team, but he did have a great opportunity to impress those who could someday be his coaches and teammates in the majors.

Venable didn't disappoint, batting .360 during the exhibition season. The difference between the low minor leagues and the major league level was clear to Venable, who had an opportunity to face pitchers such as the reigning National League Cy Young winner, Arizona Diamondbacks starter Brandon Webb.

"On a 2-0 count, normally I'd see a fastball 90 percent of the time," Venable said. "But up here, guys throw breaking balls for strikes."

Thankfully for Venable, he has a preternatural ability to sit back and recognize the off-speed pitch. That skill has helped Venable thrive as a member of the Class AA San Antonio Missions, his new assignment coming out of spring training. The San Diego front office's decision to let Venable surpass high Class A ball has paid off, as Venable is hitting .341 for the Missions after 24 games.

When asked to explain Venable's success, Bradley offered several reasons.

"It's inborn. His dad was a major league baseball player for 13 years," Bradley said. "[And] I keep telling people he's got unbelievable instincts — his ability to make adjustments, his ability to hit the breaking ball and his great baseball demeanor. If he has a bad at-bat, it doesn't affect him."

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Those qualities made Venable's return to baseball as a Tiger sophomore — and the success he enjoyed thereafter — hardly surprising. Much of the reason Venable returned to his father's sport was because of his forward-thinking mentality.

"[My future] definitely had a lot to do with my decision. I'm a small basketball player," the six-foot, two-inch Venable said, "but I'm a big baseball player."

At spring training, Venable enjoyed a special bond with another Tiger giant. One of the Padres' star players is none other than former Tiger pitching ace and current No. 2 starter Chris Young '02, who stands 6'10".

Like Venable, Young took the less-traveled path towards the big leagues. After playing basketball and baseball at Princeton — another connection with Venable — Young spent a few years in the major leagues before being offered a contract with the National Basketball Association's Sacramento Kings. But Young decided to renew his dedication to baseball and pursue his fortunes as a pitcher.

When asked about Young, Venable was quick to note the parallels between their careers.

"Chris is a class-act, a really friendly guy," Venable said. "He's traveled the same path as I have. He played basketball and baseball like me, so we talked about the situation with Princeton basketball in camp."

Venable also briefly talked to Young about the pitcher's mental game. It must be frightening for pitchers in Class AA to know that the Princeton graduate is learning to think like them.

As for the forward-thinking Venable's goals for the future?

"I want to be in the big leagues," Venable said. "Maybe not this year. But I only take care of things on my end."

If Venable performs well, a September call-up is hardly out of the question. It shouldn't take the Padres long to see what Bradley grasped after only 15 pitches.