Name: Cayden Wotipka
School: Kamiak High School
Grad year for high school: 2022
GPA: 3.3
Summer team: FCA
Positions: 1B/3B/OF/RHP
Throw (right or left): R
Hit: Right
1. What are some areas of your game that you have been focusing on lately to improve upon?
Lately I have been working a lot on the mental side of my game. Whether it be at the plate, on the mound or in the field, I like to have a competitive mindset. Breathing, visualization and meditation all help me slow the game down, putting me in the best position to succeed. I always have a plan at the plate and my mental approach allows me to set aside distractions to clear my mind in order to compete, play loose and have fun. Physically I am working on my hip mobility and explosiveness. There are many moves in baseball that require you to be explosive and I strive to be as explosive as possible.
2. What are some goals and dreams you hope to reach in the next couple of years?
One goal I always have is to learn and improve as a player everyday. I want to develop and grow in everything I do on and off the field. Some of my offseason goals this year are to hit 90 off the mound and be consistent with my hitting. In these next couple years I also hope to take my skills to the Division 1 level and be successful. I can attain these goals with hard work and the right habits.
3. How long have you been playing baseball and what got you started in the game?
I started playing baseball when I was about 5, along with going out to the Everett Aquasox games about every weekend, I was introduced to everything involving the sport ever since I could remember. My dad played ball at WSU and my uncle played at Cypress University. My whole family is super athletic playing numerous sports growing up throughout their lives. My sister and I are both two sport athletes in high school and baseball is the game that stuck with me.
4. What are some of your favorite things about the game of baseball?
Baseball teaches you how to prepare. You spend 200 swings a day practicing for those 5 swings in a game. You take multiple ground balls just to practice for a couple that come your way in a game. Even on those chances you receive in the field you mess up sometimes and my favorite thing about baseball is that when things aren’t going your way you can look to the next aspect of the game to redeem yourself. If I just strike out at the plate I’m going to make up for it with a play in the field or if I make a mistake running the bases then I’m going to compete hard on the mound. When you are struggling there is always another aspect in baseball to win, and if not, you learn from those mistakes.
5. Who in your life has helped push you to be your best on the field?
There really hasn’t been one specific person, mostly it’s internal and seeing how good I can be by experiencing improvement in my game each day, but seeing my parents and my coaches supporting and providing for me to achieve my baseball goals gives me a reason to stay motivated. God has provided me with amazing people in my life that want to see me do my best and I am very fortunate for them.