Photos courtesy of the Kanagy family

Editor’s note: Recently, Kenny Varner caught up with former East Juniata hurler and current West Virginia pitcher Daniel Kanagy. We talked to him about his recent weeks of signing a Major League Baseball contract and pitching for the West Virginia Black Bears.

HS: How did you feel when you got the word that you were selected by the West Virginia black Bears?

DK: I was very excited. I had been hoping to be placed with either the Black Bears or the Spikes. It worked out great that I was assigned to the Black Bears.

HS: How did your senior year go in college?

DK: My senior year was up and down. I had some really good outings on the mound and had some bad ones. I made one start where I went 3 scoreless with 4 strikeouts. I struck out 21 batters in 15 innings so that was a highlight.

HS: What was it like stepping on the mound in your first appearance for the black bears team?

DK: It was surreal. It was the kind of thing that I have dreamed about since I was a kid. My first outing was in Williamsport so it was a full circle moment for me to pitch really close to home.

HS:  When you got a chance to pitch against the State College Spikes, you started the game and got the win. How exciting was that to win a game against a team? That’s basically close to where you grew up?

DK: My pitching coach asked me last week if I wanted to start against State College and I immediately told him I’d love to. I said I have a lot of family and friends who’d love to come watch me throw being close to home and I’d love the opportunity to start in State College. I went to a few Spikes games when I was a kid back when they were still an affiliate team. It was a dream to pitch against them.

HS: How nervous were you before your first start against the Spikes?

DK: I wasn’t nervous at all. Being my third start in the draft league now I feel like I’ve got a good routine figured out for myself and I know what to expect when I go out there. I just go out there and keep the game simple and have fun. This is the most fun I’ve had playing baseball ever.

HS: You’ve gotten off to a quick start. How would you say your transition from college to MLB rookie ball has gone so far?

DK: I would say the transition has been smooth so far. Being a starter I feel like it’s easy for me to find myself a good routine and stay consistent in it. I think professional baseball is good for me as I am able to pitch a little more free, cause at the end of the day, it’s on me to make my career what I want it to be.

HS: I know adjusting from high school ball to college is a big adjustment, how was the adjustment then from college to now?

DK: I would say the adjustment was not quite as big because in college a lot of the hitters I faced were very matured in their approach at the plate and it’s much the same now in professional baseball. I have the same approach I just have to be a little better at executing my plan. In high school hitters aren’t quite as disciplined in their plate approach so I didn’t have to be as good at executing my plan as I do now.

HS: How is the team doing so far?

DK: We are currently 17-14 in a tight race for the top spot only 0.5 games back.

HS: How quick did your team welcome you to the squad?

DK: Very quickly. In pro baseball, players come and go very frequently so you have to be open to new players and welcome everyone. After all, we are all on the field for the same reason, to win baseball games and make it to the next level.

HS: What would you said you’ve learned in just your little time out?

DK: I’ve learned to really truly enjoy every moment that I have on the baseball field. I’m getting paid to play a child’s game so I try to just have fun and keep a smile on my face.

HS: What are your goals for the rest of the season?

DK: The rest of the season I want to continue to go out there and have solid outings and put the team in a spot to win the game. At the end of the day that’s all I can do is give the team a chance to win the game.

HS: What are your goals for your career as you move up the ladder?

DK: My goals are to just enjoy my time on the field and throw every pitch like it’s my last. That is one thing I struggled with in my college career and it often led to unsatisfying results. If I throw every pitch like it’s my last, I know I will not have left anything on the table.

HS: When will you be back in the local area whether it be against Williamsport or State College again?

DK: We play in Williamsport July 23-25 and again in Williamsport August 6-8.

HS: What are your team goals for the rest of the season?

DK: Team goals are to have the best record in the 2nd half of the season so that we can play the Spikes in the Draft League Championship in September.  If we have the best record of the 2nd half we will face the Spikes in State College for the Championship in September.

HS: When coming onto the team who were you told were the toughest teams in your league?

DK: I wasn’t really told a lot about the other teams. All the teams are pretty evenly matched and any team can win on any given day. Obviously State College won the first half so they are pretty good. Mahoning Valley is also a scrappy ball club and always finds a way to put up a good fight.

HS:. How did it feel to get your first win as a professional?

DK: Getting my first win as a professional was awesome. My mom and dad were there to see it and so were a lot of family friends. I was so excited it happened in State College. I can’t express how much it meant to me. In this game both failure and success are temporary, so it’s time to focus on the next outing.