There is a tremendous amount of talent here in the NW. I’ve seen it at all the levels and I am so excited to be able to highlight some of that talent with this new series.
Name: Kaden Wu
School: Mercer Island HS
Grad Year: 2022
GPA: 3.9
Summer team: WW Sweets 18U
Positions: Catcher
Throw (right or left): Right
Hit (right or left): Right
1. What are some areas of your game that you have been focusing on lately to improve upon?
Well one part of my game that I’ve been working hard on is speed/baserunning. I’ve come to realize that as we get older, pitching gets better, hitting becomes harder, and baserunners are becoming more rare. As a catcher, I know the significance a fast runner on the bases holds is huge in a tight game. In this game, tenths of a second can make the difference between a win or a loss so I’m working hard to be able to stretch that double into a triple or to beat that throw to the plate.
Another part of my game that I’ve been focusing on is receiving as a catcher. Getting those borderline strikes and working for your pitcher can make or break a game. It’s another aspect of the game that can make a difference between a win or a loss.
2. What are some goals and dreams you hope to reach in the next couple of years?
In the next couple of years I’ll be fulfilling my childhood dream of playing division 1 baseball in Nashville, Tennessee at Belmont University. I’m planning on majoring in Exercise Science at Belmont. But before that, I want to lead Mercer Island to an undefeated season this year and make a run to the state championship in 2022.
3. How long have you been playing baseball and what got you started in the game?
I’ve been playing baseball since I was 6 years old. I remember sitting on the couch with my dad and my brother, Kyle, and watching the Angels every night. Me and my brother fell in love with the game and we would go out in our backyard and play 9 inning wiffleball games every day until it got dark. From then on, baseball became my life and I’ve loved it ever since.
4. What are some of your favorite things about the game of baseball?
The brotherhood, the grind, the excitement. The bond you create as teammates throughout a season is something I’ll never forget. I’ve made some relationships that will last a life time through this game. You can’t get by in baseball by just going through the motions. The thought of someone outworking me on the field or in the weight room scares me, and that’s why I love the commitment and the drive this game requires to be great. There’s nothing like the excitement of a baseball game. The smell of the air is different when you realize it’s game day. I don’t think there is anything in life that gets me more excited than a baseball game.
5. Who in your life has helped push you to be your best on the field?
There have been a lot of people that push me to be my best. I have to start with my parents. They both have supported me to play this game no matter what and I’ll be forever grateful. Next, would be my 3 brothers: Kyle (19), Kellan (15), and Kace (11). All 4 of us are competitive with each other, sometimes a little too competitive, and push each other to be better than we were yesterday. One of us is always trying to be the best out of the 4. There have been many coaches that have brought out the best in me but I want to point out Erik Hollerbach with the Sweets, Andre Marshall at Boost Baseball, and Dominic Woody at Mercer Island. These 3 coaches really helped me bring my game to the next level.