Prospects Live Interviews_ Mason Peters LHP Seattle Mariners

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Welcome to the Prospects Live interview podcast. I am your host,
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Greg Kuhkamp, joined by Kyle Sontag on this one. Kyle,
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how's it going?
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I'm good, Greg.
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I'm really excited to be doing this with you here.
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Well, I'm glad to have you aboard. We have a
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very special guest joining us on this one. Mason Peters,
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a left-handed pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. Mason, thank you
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for taking some time for us.
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Yeah, happy to be here.
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We've got a few questions lined up for you this evening,
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but I need to give you some kudos here because
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it was your first pro season. And you had a
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stellar first pro season. This does not often happen for
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your first season. Over two levels, single A and high
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A for the Mariners. 64 and a third innings, that's
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18 starts. A 210 ERA, 34% strikeout rate, 7% walk rate,
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and a 182 batting average against. How does that feel
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to hear those numbers?
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It feels great. I think just kind of what my
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expectations were for the season, kind of like I was
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talking about earlier, like, I made a pretty big dedication
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this season to really focus on what's behind the scenes
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and what's under the hood, what's driving me and how
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I'm going to kind of change my process and work
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each day. And then the results will come and let
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that be like out of my control in a sense.
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So obviously I'm very pleased to look back on the
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season and to kind of see how I got to
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learn and grow.
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Awesome. Okay, Kyle, over to you.
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Yeah, we're obviously going to be diving a little bit
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more into the success you had this season. But I
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wanted to start a little bit earlier than that and
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maybe start you off with a little bit of a
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softball here, an easy one for you. I just want
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to know, when did you start playing baseball? Because it's
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not the same for everybody, even pro athletes. Everybody starts
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at a different time. When did you start? And more specifically, maybe,
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when did you start pitching and realize you might have
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a future on the mound?
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Yeah, I actually didn't play t-ball. So I started the
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coach pitch. Um, I'm not, I'm not sure what age,
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but as long as I can remember, uh, my dad's
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a big, big part of that. And for pitching, um,
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I remember kind of going through, um, like little league
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all-stars at 10, 11, 12. Um, and really knowing that
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that was, that's what I wanted to do.
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I also was a terrible hitter, which helps them to
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pushing you to pitch. So yeah, you're, you're speaking to
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a couple other fellow pitchers here. So I think me
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and Greg probably had similar experiences. There's, Multiple reasons. I
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think many of us to an extent chose pitching, right?
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Yeah. Yeah.
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You mentioned your dad there though. He was a baseball
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player too, a catcher, right?
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He was.
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What kind of influences he had on your baseball career
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and how does that perspective of him being a catcher
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maybe play into your mindset as a pitcher? Because obviously
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that relationship, not just between a son and a dad,
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but a pitcher and a catcher is really important.
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Right.
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Yeah.
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A ton. I think he's the one, I mean, he's
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a diehard baseball fan. He's a diehard Cardinals fan. And
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so just getting to grow up and watch him kind
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of adore the sport, see what it meant to him,
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always made me have such respect for baseball. And then
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getting a chance to play it, he was always stoked
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to play catch at any time of the day or whatever,
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in any way he could help. Now, I mean, throughout
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my whole career in life, he's been one of my
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biggest supporters. And it's been a huge blessing.
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It's always nice to have people on your side like that,
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especially obviously your own parents, right? But growing up, you
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mentioned that you didn't necessarily start ball as soon as
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you could, but were there any other sports that you
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also played? And if you did, how did they maybe
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influence or help you as a baseball player?
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Yeah, I went to a really small high school. So
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I went to a private school in Waco. I got
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the chance to play pretty much everything. I played basketball
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and football as well. I played six-man football in high school,
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so kind of crazy, but got to do it with
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some of my best friends. I was quarterback, and it
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was a really cool experience. I definitely feel like I
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enjoyed it. I enjoyed learning another sport and another, I
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don't know, mentality, I would say, and it made me
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feel fresh when baseball season rolled around.
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Okay. So you got through high school, you knew that
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baseball was, was in your future. Um, you went to
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a JUCO, uh, Temple College. Uh, were there a lot
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of schools calling, uh, was this your best option? Why
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did you decide to go JUCO and not to like
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a power five?
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Not a lot of schools calling. Um, didn't, didn't really
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have the velocity in high school. I think it was
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up to 89 a handful of times. Um, Talked to
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the junior college. I knew I wanted to play Division
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I baseball. That was kind of like my short-term goal.
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Talked to the junior college and felt like Temple specifically
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gave me the best chance to do that. It's close
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to home. I like the coaching staff a lot. Got
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there and I mean that was a it's a big
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change going from private school baseball to junior college baseball.
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So I learned a ton. I gained four or five
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miles an hour on my fastball and with that I
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lost a lot of command. So overall isn't a huge
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learning year for me. Um, but I'm really thankful that
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like I got the chance to, to learn some things,
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some of the specifics that are really, really common in
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Juco that maybe aren't common at the, at the power fives.
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And so definitely a lot of, uh, a lot of
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grit is expected and, um, a harder, harder coaching style. Okay.
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So going to a Juco, you have the option of
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entering the draft earlier than you would, if you would
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have went full D one right off the bat. Why
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did you choose to go D1 to DBU instead of
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entering the draft?
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Yeah, I feel like it was similar once I got
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to JUCO. My next short-term goal is to get drafted,
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putting myself in the best position to play professional baseball.
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I had a few organizations that were interested. I never
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really wanted to push the envelope. I just kind of
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by the time I met the DBU coaching staff and
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specifically Cale Johnson, who's a pitching coach, I kind of
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like fell in love with his approach to the game,
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knew I needed to get in that locker room to
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be surrounded by some of those other guys. Micah Bucknum
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is a Canada guy, James L. Wanger, some of those
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guys that were operating at a high level. I knew
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I just wanted to kind of work day in and
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day out with them. And I guess it was a
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bit of a gamble, but super thankful for my time
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at DBU, and I think it really changed who I
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am as a player and as a human.
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So you pitched mainly out of the bullpen at DBU. Um,
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I mean, obviously coming from a Juco, maybe you don't
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earn a Friday night spot right off the bat. Um,
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and you ended up being second team all conference conference USA.
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So obviously successful season. Tell me about your experience at DBU.
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Like why was it such a special place and why
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was it right for you to be there?
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Right. Um, coach Hefner has an excellent program and I
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think that starts his, the framework that he lays out
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just as far as what's expected of you, um, as
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a man. um, first and then as a baseball player, um,
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it's great, especially the faith side of, um, what it
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means to be a Christian man in the baseball world. Um,
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I learned a ton and those are some of my
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best friends. I think the season didn't go exactly. I
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thought I would, or I wanted to compete for a
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starting spot. That's kind of where I thought I was. Um,
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but ended up being kind of high leverage or slash
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closing out of the bullpen. Um, and that was a big,
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that wasn't, I wouldn't say a big challenge. I would
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say more of a new opportunity for me to learn.
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And even carrying that back into this year, transitioning into
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a full-time starter, I'm thankful for that opportunity as well.
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Just learning the routines that I needed to have nailed
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down and kind of getting to pit every time I
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was stepping into the game was in a high-pressure scenario.
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And so learning how to operate under that.
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That probably built a lot of character going through that
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experience when you never expected it to happen in the
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first place, right? So you're from Texas. You played college
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Juco in Texas. You played D1 in Texas. Then your
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first assignment with the Mariners is to go out to California.
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Had you even been to California before? What was it
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like to go out there to play pro ball for
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the first time?
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I have actually. So we were in San Bernardino and
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my grandparents actually live in Rancho Cucamonga, which is 25
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minutes away. So it's a crazy coincidence and just amazing
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to be supported by them. I'm married, so my wife
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was with me. for them to support me and my
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wife in our first season as we adjust to the schedule,
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kind of what was expected of us. It was a
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huge blessing. California is quite a bit different than Texas,
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but it's beautiful. The weather's perfect. We got to go
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to the beach on off days. I think we left
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feeling ultimately liking California a lot.
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Nice. But then promoted to high A up to Everett, Washington.
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What was that change like?
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Another big change, I'd say, but I've never been to Washington.
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I think just the realization of landing in Seattle and
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carrying a Mariners bag for the first time, realizing that
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that's home for the Mariners and the people care and
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the fans are so amazing. And then getting to Everett
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and being able to walk out on the field and
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have people know you by name or genuinely care and
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support you so extremely well and show up. day in,
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day out. It was a really cool experience just that
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people care that deeply and are so supportive.
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Well your next stop is where I live here in
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Little Rock and they are very passionate here for their
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travelers so your next stop will be very much the
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same that way the weather very different it was 96
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here today 65 in Everett today so quite different but
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you're going to be carried by the fan base here
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they are very passionate I hope so Kyle?
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Yeah, certainly a very passionate fan base up and down
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the organization there. But that organization, Seattle, they are one
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of the most well-regarded organizations in terms of their pitching development.
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So I know I am always really intrigued to see
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what maybe they are able to do or change with
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the players that they bring in, be it through draft
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like yourself, trade, anything else. So I'm curious, is there
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anything in particular that that they told you or got
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you to work on early on in the process after
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the draft that is just really stuck with you through
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your first year as a professional? Um, yeah, I'd say
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a ton, um, kind of plastered everywhere is dominate the zone.
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We're, we're going to win the zone. We're going to
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win the hose. We're going to win the one ones.
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We're going to get and finish counts. Um, and we're
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going to execute pitches. I think going, stepping in every start,
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that was my goal. Um, eliminate the walks, and that
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starts by getting ahead. I know how much easier it
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is for me to pitch when I'm ahead and when
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I'm in control of the count. And that's only more
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evident getting the high. My walk rate went up quite
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a bit, and that's something that, like when I get
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home at night, I'm not looking to the box score
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to kind of dictate on whether that was a good
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outing or not. But I'm looking to the 0-0s and
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the 1-1s on the walk specifically. Like I want to
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control what I can control. I want to put the
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pitches there. And if you get hit, you get hit
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like the ball left your hand. And no need to
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waste worry over that.
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If I could just say one thing, I got the
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chance to talk to Cade and Ryan at the future
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game this summer. And that's exactly what they said, the
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same thing. He's attacked the zone. Ryan said he just
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aims for the middle of the strike zone and lets
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his pitches ride wherever. And it works. Obviously, his stuff
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is ridiculous. But that's an organizational philosophy you're telling us.
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For sure. Yeah, I think it varies pitcher to pitcher too.
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There's still some guys that will like catchers to set
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up on corners or kind of shift with pitches. I
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kind of got to the point similar to Sloan where
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I want the catcher to set up middle. I know
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where I'm going with the pitch, but I'm going to
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throw it through him as many times as I possibly can.
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We're going to be end zone. I want to put
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pressure on the hitter. I want to make a decision
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every single time that there's a pitch.
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It's good to hear that they, you know, have some
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overarching philosophies then, but don't necessarily, you know, pin everybody
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into one box. They still kind of let you be
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who you're going to be. If you're a pitcher that
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wants the catcher to move a little bit, they let
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you do that. I think that's a sign of a
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really good organization that they have some overarching ideas, but
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also let you be who you're going to be on
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the mound. So to that side of things, obviously, again,
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you know, they've, you know, ingrained so much and you
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already threw one year, but is there anything from your
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you know, previous years, you've got years obviously of experience
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on the mound that has stuck with you that they didn't,
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you know, try to change in any way that you
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think will continue to lend to your success going forward?
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Um, yeah, I'd say, I think specifically from junior college, just, um,
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kind of the grit, like I talked about earlier. Um,
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it's not, it's not an option there. Like you're, You,
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weakness isn't necessarily an option. Like, if you fail, you
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come off with your head up. And if you succeed,
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you come off with your head up. Like, what it
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means to have good body language and how hitters are
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reading that, I think is a big piece of, I
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want to carry myself. I'm a pretty calm.
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Guy.
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Just in general life, I would like to be level-headed
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in the locker room, level-headed on the mound, not allow
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my emotions to get the best of me. Um, and
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I don't want people to be able to tell if
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I succeeded that day or failed that day. I want
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to come off the same way.
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I love to hear that. I think that really, that mindset,
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that grit really plays into the attitude of, you know,
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attack the strike zone. If they get a hit, they
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get a hit, but you're not going to give it anything.
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Up for free. Right.
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Right. Right. So obviously you're a ball player, but there's
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so much more that goes into life than just what
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happens on the field. So, how has your life changed
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since coming to the minor leagues? Now being a professional,
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is it what you expected? And is there anything that's
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maybe surprised you through your first year here? Yeah.
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Um, I don't know if I expected anything really. I
295
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think I kind of just jumped. I tried to get
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to the draft, um, and hearing your name calls this
297
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crazy experience, but the realization in the next few hours,
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the next two days, or whenever you fly to training camp, um,
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it's like, this is, this is your life now. And so, um,
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You're just doing what your employer tells you to do.
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It's definitely a shift in schedule. The schedules, it's grueling.
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We talked about playing 132 games, and that obviously is
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more at the big league level. For me, this year,
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learning to separate baseball was a big thing. When I'm
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at the field, I'm at the field. I'm fully present
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and embracing where I am. But when I'm away from
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the field, it helped me a ton this year, too.
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kind of take the off time and to not think
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about baseball to kind of to really separate the.
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Two that's got to be a challenge sometimes.
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Right yeah yeah um i would say it's more of
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a challenge after a rough one i think a rough
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one makes you want to that's another huge lesson that
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i learned is like the tinkering or the the thinking
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kind of like even hearing some of the experiences of
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guys that have been around for a while um some
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of the big league guys like Finally, this is where
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you figure stuff out. You figure out the routines and
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the processes that are going to make you successful. Oh, sorry, guys.
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No, you're back. You're back.
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All right. No problem.
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So we mentioned you made most of your appearances at
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DBU out of the bullpen. What was the translation like
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to get– you obviously wanted to be a starter. You
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want to be a starter. To get back into that
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starting mentality and that role, what was that process like?
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Was it challenging or was it fairly smooth?
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I would say it's smooth. I think the Mariners believing
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in me to be a starter was a huge blessing.
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And kind of them enabling me and allowing me to
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do that and step forward in this first full year
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and be a full-time starter is a gift. But that's
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how I like to think. That's how I like to
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process things. I like to prepare throughout the week and
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then know that Thursday is my day or Friday is
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my day or whatever it is and kind of show
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up ready to roll that day.
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What is that conversation like when you get a phone
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call from the Mariners for the first time? Hey, welcome
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to the organization. We want you to be a starter.
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Is that how it went, or what is it like?
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I think my agent actually told me when they were
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working on the deal, but that's a huge selling point
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for me. Obviously, the rapport that the Mariners have as
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an organization, especially in the pitching department, is a major.
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Attraction, but the fact that they were going to allow
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me to be a starter and wanted me to be
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a starter, it was, it was a big deal.
349
00:17:36.589 --> 00:17:40.369
Awesome. Well, you, you smooth is a good way to
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describe it because your first 50 innings at single a
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00:17:43.369 --> 00:17:47.319
at one 43 ERA, um, how important was it to
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get off to a good start as a pro for you?
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00:17:50.599 --> 00:17:54.079
Um, important. I'd say, I think I, I try not
354
00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:58.180
to think about, think about it too much. Um, especially stats.
355
00:17:58.299 --> 00:18:00.859
Like I just, I wanted to go show up and pitch,
356
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and every day, I kind of had come to peace
357
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with whatever that outing held. If it was good, if
358
00:18:10.069 --> 00:18:12.609
it was bad, I was going to commit to the
359
00:18:12.650 --> 00:18:15.069
same process, and I was going to make... I know
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who I am. I'm going to try and maximize my
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strengths and pitch to the best of my ability every
362
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single time.
363
00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:20.539
Nice.
364
00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:24.259
Yeah, so obviously, getting to that start is always... Even
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if you're not necessarily thinking about the numbers, it's really
366
00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:29.710
good to get into, but in the midst of... of
367
00:18:29.750 --> 00:18:33.140
that excellent start to your pro career, you went down
368
00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:36.279
with what was reported as forearm soreness. You missed about
369
00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:39.619
six weeks. Have you ever dealt with an injury that
370
00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:42.160
took you out for an extended period like that before?
371
00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.220
And can you tell us kind of what you were
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thinking when it happened and maybe walk us through that
373
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recovery process a little bit?
374
00:18:48.789 --> 00:18:49.009
Yeah.
375
00:18:49.670 --> 00:18:52.470
Um, I have not, I have not dealt with anything,
376
00:18:52.750 --> 00:18:54.670
anything like that. Um, I had like a minor back
377
00:18:54.710 --> 00:18:58.559
injury in junior college, uh, but nothing, I mean, um,
378
00:18:59.670 --> 00:19:03.299
Not six weeks of season time. I think I tried
379
00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:06.579
to push through it. I made my last start and
380
00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:11.799
definitely knew that I had some issues. And it never
381
00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:15.819
even really fully got diagnosed. Went in to get an
382
00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:18.319
MRI and all the big structures were clear. It was
383
00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:23.779
something in the flexor pronator mass. I've been working on
384
00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:28.599
a sinker. I was starting to kick change some new positions. uh,
385
00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:30.559
for my fingers and hands and stuff like that. So
386
00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:34.019
I didn't think it could have been a by-product of it. Um,
387
00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:37.279
ultimately they made the choice to pull me the day
388
00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:40.640
before my start in Fresno, I believe. Um, and didn't really,
389
00:19:40.660 --> 00:19:43.450
I kind of knew what, what going down meant. Um,
390
00:19:43.890 --> 00:19:46.390
and usually that would mean you'd go back to Arizona. Um,
391
00:19:46.470 --> 00:19:49.230
and I obviously wanted to prove myself as a starter,
392
00:19:49.250 --> 00:19:52.390
wanted to, like, innings. So that was kind of a,
393
00:19:53.329 --> 00:19:56.630
I don't know. I think I used the time to
394
00:19:57.150 --> 00:20:00.519
try and be positive about it, spend the time obviously recovering,
395
00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:03.220
but also mentally preparing for the next time that I
396
00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:03.640
stepped on the mound.
397
00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:07.599
Well, you definitely came back and continued to pitch well
398
00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:11.140
in the rest of your season there. But you mentioned
399
00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:13.299
maybe some new pitch grips and that sort of thing
400
00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.400
that you were working on. When we talk about a
401
00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:19.710
pitcher's best pitch, it isn't always necessarily your favorite pitch.
402
00:20:19.730 --> 00:20:21.509
So I'm curious, can you kind of walk us through
403
00:20:21.549 --> 00:20:23.809
your arsenal a little bit? If you've got a ball
404
00:20:23.849 --> 00:20:25.910
with you, maybe show us some of those grips and
405
00:20:25.950 --> 00:20:28.430
tell us which pitch is your favorite to throw? Not
406
00:20:28.470 --> 00:20:31.059
necessarily your best, but your favorite and why?
407
00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:37.039
Right. I don't have a ball, but Um, I'm forcing fastball, uh,
408
00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:38.680
has a little cut to it. So not a lot
409
00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.970
of carry. Um, but it's from, uh, it's, it's a
410
00:20:43.009 --> 00:20:45.329
little bit of a, it's kind of a weird, weird shape.
411
00:20:45.369 --> 00:20:47.329
Something that I've worked on quite a bit and, and
412
00:20:47.369 --> 00:20:49.190
continue to work on. I'd love to increase the vert
413
00:20:49.210 --> 00:20:52.390
on that. Um, but a little low and cutty and
414
00:20:52.430 --> 00:20:55.250
then change up. Like I said, it's kick change up.
415
00:20:55.250 --> 00:20:57.819
This is the first year that I've really thrown a
416
00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:00.900
change up cause I'm a, I'm a lot better supinator
417
00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:05.279
than I am pronator. Um, And I've really liked how far,
418
00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:08.990
how that pitch has developed. Shape-wise, it's where I want
419
00:21:09.009 --> 00:21:14.549
it to be. And I know that it's a quality pitch. Location-wise,
420
00:21:15.269 --> 00:21:17.029
I've struggled with it a little bit. It's a harder
421
00:21:17.069 --> 00:21:19.700
one to locate. So that's definitely, stepping into next year,
422
00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:24.200
that's something I want to refine. Slider is a little firmer.
423
00:21:24.579 --> 00:21:28.220
It kind of has a few different shapes. It was
424
00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:32.009
firm at times. uh, like 84, 86, 87. And then
425
00:21:32.029 --> 00:21:35.230
it was a little slower and sweepier at times. Um,
426
00:21:36.809 --> 00:21:39.700
but I would say that's probably my, I think the
427
00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:42.819
curve ball is my best pitch. I think the slider, um,
428
00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:46.119
was my most used, my most confident. Like I, I
429
00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:47.779
felt like I could throw that in any count that
430
00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:50.680
I'm behind. I could throw this put away. Um, it's
431
00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:53.140
maybe not my best, but probably my favorite. And then
432
00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:57.390
the curve balls, um, kind of that big slur shape. Um,
433
00:21:57.430 --> 00:21:59.250
and it's definitely been my put away, uh, my put
434
00:21:59.289 --> 00:22:01.309
away pitch. And as a year progressed, I think hitters
435
00:22:02.029 --> 00:22:03.990
knew what they were, knew that I wanted to go
436
00:22:04.029 --> 00:22:06.150
to that pitch with two strikes. And so it made
437
00:22:06.170 --> 00:22:09.750
me kind of not have to reinvent how I was
438
00:22:09.789 --> 00:22:12.759
approaching them, but pitch backwards a little bit and kind
439
00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.140
of mix around. I have confidence that they're not going
440
00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:17.099
to hit that pitch. I just have to make them
441
00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:19.200
swing at it, which when they know it's coming, they're
442
00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:19.759
able to take it.
443
00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:24.240
You mentioned being more of a natural supinator. Have you
444
00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:26.329
always been able to spin the ball well? Has that
445
00:22:26.349 --> 00:22:29.990
been a natural thing for you? And, What goes into that,
446
00:22:30.130 --> 00:22:33.730
and can you walk through kind of like developing pitch
447
00:22:33.769 --> 00:22:34.970
shapes for us a little bit?
448
00:22:35.009 --> 00:22:37.470
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've always been able to spin the ball.
449
00:22:37.730 --> 00:22:40.180
I've always had the curveball. In high school, I was
450
00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:44.240
primarily fastball, curveball. Even in junior college as well, I
451
00:22:44.259 --> 00:22:50.339
didn't have the slider until pretty much last year. Going
452
00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:54.829
into development, I think just knowing where I'm at right now,
453
00:22:55.529 --> 00:22:57.029
And knowing that my ultimate goal is to pitch in
454
00:22:57.049 --> 00:22:59.250
the big leagues and to find success in the big leagues,
455
00:23:00.089 --> 00:23:02.789
being willing to, to throw a change up in there,
456
00:23:02.890 --> 00:23:06.470
throw something that I'm working on instead of maybe my,
457
00:23:06.710 --> 00:23:08.990
what my best is. Cause I know the importance of,
458
00:23:09.390 --> 00:23:12.940
of developing a change up specifically of having something that's
459
00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:14.619
going to go the other way. It's going to kind
460
00:23:14.660 --> 00:23:17.099
of be able to sink and drop off the table.
461
00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:20.140
We'll just open up so many avenues for me to
462
00:23:20.180 --> 00:23:23.740
pitch and use my other pitches. We do a lot
463
00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:27.579
of the, like coloring the baseballs, um, just seam stamping
464
00:23:27.660 --> 00:23:30.269
kind of see ball flight. Um, that that's been a,
465
00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:31.440
that's been a pretty helpful one for me.
466
00:23:32.369 --> 00:23:32.589
Nice.
467
00:23:33.549 --> 00:23:35.329
Um, your whip and ground ball rates were some of
468
00:23:35.369 --> 00:23:38.690
the best marks in single a and high a, uh,
469
00:23:38.789 --> 00:23:41.990
this season. What do you attribute that success in those
470
00:23:42.029 --> 00:23:43.190
specific areas too?
471
00:23:44.569 --> 00:23:49.059
Um, I don't know. I think, I think kind of
472
00:23:49.079 --> 00:23:53.180
like what we talked about with the location, um, the
473
00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:57.700
locations is kind of utmost importance. The, the stuff's going to,
474
00:23:58.140 --> 00:24:00.009
going to be there and I trust my stuff. Um,
475
00:24:00.089 --> 00:24:02.650
but putting in a location to get crown balls, putting
476
00:24:02.690 --> 00:24:05.589
in location to get with, um, kind of knowing I
477
00:24:05.609 --> 00:24:07.450
want to be in zone until two strikes and then
478
00:24:07.910 --> 00:24:08.950
I'm not going to, I don't want to give you
479
00:24:08.970 --> 00:24:11.039
anything to hit and I'm going to make them expand
480
00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:11.319
and make.
481
00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:13.960
Them chase process over results.
482
00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:14.680
Right.
483
00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:15.220
Yeah.
484
00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:21.099
That's probably gets repetitive, but that's, it makes sense. Absolutely.
485
00:24:21.190 --> 00:24:23.619
And that kind of plays into the next question here,
486
00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:26.279
because you've talked a few times about the process and
487
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:28.359
what the Mariners have talked about, getting you to attack
488
00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:30.779
the strike zone. Now, for me, it's been a while
489
00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:33.660
since I've pitched, but I always wanted to walk away
490
00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:36.750
from every start knowing two things. One, I always wanted
491
00:24:36.769 --> 00:24:39.150
to give my team a chance to win. And maybe
492
00:24:39.170 --> 00:24:42.490
a little bit more on the selfish side, completely honest here,
493
00:24:42.910 --> 00:24:45.369
I wanted to pitch deeper into the game than my
494
00:24:45.410 --> 00:24:48.349
counterpart on the other team. I know that that, you know,
495
00:24:48.450 --> 00:24:52.099
isn't always in your own capabilities or in your own
496
00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:54.980
control it's easier to focus on what you can control
497
00:24:55.400 --> 00:24:57.319
but when you are on the mound what is your
498
00:24:57.400 --> 00:25:00.500
mindset and is there something that you want to be
499
00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:03.390
able to say you accomplished at the end of every start.
500
00:25:03.890 --> 00:25:06.710
Yeah for sure um i want to give the team
501
00:25:06.750 --> 00:25:08.910
a chance to win like you said that's that's the
502
00:25:08.970 --> 00:25:13.210
most important i think it's easy um to to walk
503
00:25:13.250 --> 00:25:14.890
off the field and give up a handful of runs
504
00:25:14.930 --> 00:25:17.259
or something like that and kind of be frustrated um
505
00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:21.160
i always kind of take the time to just put
506
00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:23.480
it in perspective and kind of see where the team's at.
507
00:25:23.539 --> 00:25:25.480
And if I can get my, if I can get
508
00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:27.619
my team a chance to win, that's, that's an ultimate,
509
00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:31.190
ultimately a success. Pitching deep into games. I think this
510
00:25:31.230 --> 00:25:35.170
year I did not pitch deep into games very often.
511
00:25:35.230 --> 00:25:38.750
I'm on a little bit of a different trend for development.
512
00:25:39.029 --> 00:25:42.450
I was, I was pitch counted for majority of the year.
513
00:25:43.690 --> 00:25:45.880
But I trust, I trust the scouting department. I trust
514
00:25:45.900 --> 00:25:48.799
the pitching department on what's best for me at this time.
515
00:25:49.450 --> 00:25:51.859
I obviously want to compete. I would love to go
516
00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:55.720
pitch five, six, seven innings if I could. But I
517
00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:58.559
know that where I'm at is not my end goal.
518
00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:00.859
And so I trust their vision and their plan.
519
00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:04.400
Is that something that they've maybe talked to you about
520
00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:08.109
what this plan might look like two or three years
521
00:26:08.150 --> 00:26:10.009
down the road? Or are you more focused and are
522
00:26:10.089 --> 00:26:12.710
they more focused on keeping you kind of in the moment?
523
00:26:13.789 --> 00:26:16.609
I'd say they're more focused on the moment. We don't
524
00:26:16.630 --> 00:26:18.710
really have a whole lot of conversations kind of about
525
00:26:19.789 --> 00:26:22.910
the future or the expectations. I think you go out
526
00:26:22.950 --> 00:26:27.130
and commit to the process daily, kind of like I've
527
00:26:27.210 --> 00:26:30.509
mentioned so many times, but it's about the day that's
528
00:26:30.549 --> 00:26:33.650
in front of us and we're going to win the day. Tomorrow,
529
00:26:33.670 --> 00:26:36.119
we'll worry about tomorrow. Absolutely.
530
00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:39.500
Yeah, you got to win today's game to get to tomorrow, right? Right.
531
00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:43.960
So you mentioned earlier that when you leave the baseball field,
532
00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:46.539
you do try to separate a little bit. You don't
533
00:26:46.579 --> 00:26:50.549
want to linger too much on... the game that just happened.
534
00:26:50.630 --> 00:26:54.210
So when do you start to kind of lock back
535
00:26:54.470 --> 00:26:56.369
in and prepare for your next start? Is it when
536
00:26:56.390 --> 00:26:58.769
you're throwing that bullpen a few days out or is
537
00:26:58.829 --> 00:27:00.549
it closer to actual game time?
538
00:27:02.210 --> 00:27:05.160
For sure. The bullpen that's been a big, a bit,
539
00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:07.019
I would say by the time I returned to the field,
540
00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:10.920
I take the night after the start to kind of
541
00:27:11.660 --> 00:27:13.740
do something fun or celebrate or go get dinner or
542
00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:17.670
something like that. And then as we, as I kind
543
00:27:17.710 --> 00:27:19.400
of get back to the field, I'm already kind of
544
00:27:19.430 --> 00:27:22.039
thinking and processing what the next start is going to
545
00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:25.599
be and who's it against and doing a little bit
546
00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:28.019
of scouting. But especially once I step on the mound
547
00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:32.569
for the bullpen this year, I made a commitment to
548
00:27:32.990 --> 00:27:36.730
make my bullpens more challenging than the game. So working
549
00:27:36.750 --> 00:27:38.809
with the runners on and just having the pitching coach
550
00:27:38.829 --> 00:27:41.769
stand out there and get leads in the middle of
551
00:27:41.789 --> 00:27:45.819
my bullpen or facing batters and, and, trying to throw
552
00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:47.980
to a tiny strike zone and being super hard on
553
00:27:48.019 --> 00:27:50.380
myself just so there's nothing. I don't want to face
554
00:27:50.430 --> 00:27:52.450
anything in game that I haven't already practiced for and
555
00:27:52.490 --> 00:27:53.230
faced in the bullpen.
556
00:27:54.390 --> 00:27:57.230
Well, it certainly shows that you think about all of
557
00:27:57.289 --> 00:28:00.069
those situations in your bullpen because you had an almost
558
00:28:00.069 --> 00:28:03.309
90% left on base percentage throughout the season. I think
559
00:28:03.329 --> 00:28:05.759
it was over 90% during your time in single A.
560
00:28:05.789 --> 00:28:09.130
So it certainly shows that you are working through every
561
00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:13.259
scenario when you're going through these bullpens. So the preparation,
562
00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:16.769
I think that it really speaks to your work ethic there.
563
00:28:17.069 --> 00:28:17.849
Yeah. I appreciate it.
564
00:28:19.109 --> 00:28:23.559
So obviously again, a tremendously successful first season, but we
565
00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:26.180
are now in the off season. You are currently back
566
00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:29.319
home in Texas. How do you typically fill your time
567
00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:32.380
in the off season? And do you maybe expect that
568
00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:34.740
to be a little bit different now as a pro
569
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:36.500
than it was before being drafted?
570
00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:40.849
Yeah, it's definitely different. I think in college it's, it's
571
00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:43.450
feel shorter. You kind of spend the fall, do some
572
00:28:43.470 --> 00:28:46.079
scrimmages and fall world series, whatever it is. Um, and
573
00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:49.519
then maybe three weeks off, uh, winter break and then
574
00:28:49.539 --> 00:28:52.400
back to it now is like, I've, we've got three
575
00:28:52.440 --> 00:28:55.900
months until, um, I'm kind of, I'm back in Arizona
576
00:28:56.460 --> 00:29:00.099
for spring training for early spring training. Um, so I'm
577
00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:02.980
taking the time down right now to spend with family.
578
00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:05.500
I love to hunt. I love to fish. I love
579
00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:08.349
to be out on the lake. Um, and so doing,
580
00:29:08.569 --> 00:29:10.930
doing all the things that I've missed throughout the year, um,
581
00:29:10.990 --> 00:29:15.630
spending time with people I love and then, um, Probably
582
00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:19.400
in the next few days, next two weeks, I'll get
583
00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:22.039
back on the program and be back in the lifts.
584
00:29:22.599 --> 00:29:28.839
I'd love to gain size and weight this offseason. That's
585
00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:29.359
my focus.
586
00:29:31.430 --> 00:29:34.130
Is that something that you specifically want to work on,
587
00:29:34.150 --> 00:29:36.190
or is that something that the Mariners have talked to
588
00:29:36.210 --> 00:29:36.589
you about?
589
00:29:37.190 --> 00:29:39.730
Yeah, that's a Mariner. It's both of us, I would say.
590
00:29:40.950 --> 00:29:43.710
I'm definitely on the lighter side. I lost some during
591
00:29:43.869 --> 00:29:46.009
the course of the season. Left spring training at the
592
00:29:46.029 --> 00:29:51.170
heaviest I'd been at around 190, 188, 189, and then
593
00:29:51.230 --> 00:29:53.650
lost some throughout the season. So getting back to kind
594
00:29:53.670 --> 00:29:56.950
of that, just gaining five pounds of real mass every
595
00:29:56.990 --> 00:30:00.210
year as I progress, because I know that that's going to,
596
00:30:01.210 --> 00:30:03.549
one boost the strength numbers, but also just protect from
597
00:30:03.609 --> 00:30:05.950
injury and things like that. Absolutely.
598
00:30:06.269 --> 00:30:08.910
It can be a real grind getting through that season
599
00:30:08.970 --> 00:30:12.319
and especially your, your first full pro season, right? So it's,
600
00:30:12.390 --> 00:30:14.119
it's good to hear that even though you did have
601
00:30:14.150 --> 00:30:16.259
that little bit of a speed bump earlier in the year,
602
00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:18.519
you're healthy. Now you're ready to go for a full
603
00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:22.259
off season and just get to that next step.
604
00:30:22.740 --> 00:30:23.400
Yeah, for sure.
605
00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:26.720
So obviously we hope that you have a, a long,
606
00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:31.380
long successful career and, but you majored in finance at DBU.
607
00:30:31.400 --> 00:30:34.460
So I'm curious once your career ends, whenever that might
608
00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:36.829
be again, hopefully not for a long, long time here,
609
00:30:37.210 --> 00:30:40.730
but is finance something you're hoping to maybe continue on
610
00:30:40.769 --> 00:30:43.029
with after your playing career? Or is there something else
611
00:30:43.049 --> 00:30:46.009
that you would like to do with your time post baseball?
612
00:30:46.609 --> 00:30:49.420
Yeah, I'm, I'm still finishing my degree from DBU. So
613
00:30:49.430 --> 00:30:52.000
I'm finishing online. Um, but I would love to get
614
00:30:52.019 --> 00:30:56.730
an investment banking or financial analysts. Um, I think both
615
00:30:56.750 --> 00:30:58.089
of those are very interesting to me. It's kind of
616
00:30:58.109 --> 00:31:01.410
why I chose the path. Outside of that, though, I
617
00:31:01.670 --> 00:31:04.049
ultimately would love to own my own business and be
618
00:31:04.089 --> 00:31:09.339
an entrepreneur. I'm not sure what space yet. My parents
619
00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:11.940
owned an air conditioning company growing up, and so I
620
00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:14.279
got to watch them kind of what it looked like
621
00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:17.900
daily for them to kind of build that together and
622
00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:19.240
to see both my parents get to work in the
623
00:31:19.259 --> 00:31:23.640
same office and kind of invest their time into that.
624
00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:29.470
And so they're... pretty much retired now. And that is
625
00:31:29.490 --> 00:31:31.519
definitely a goal of mine to do with my wife
626
00:31:31.579 --> 00:31:32.640
and provide for my future family.
627
00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:36.660
Nice. Okay. We're going to finish off with some quick
628
00:31:36.700 --> 00:31:40.759
hitters here for you. So we'll test your, your brain here.
629
00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:47.789
Day games or night games, night games. Nice. Strikeout looking
630
00:31:47.930 --> 00:31:49.130
or strikeout swinging.
631
00:31:49.150 --> 00:31:51.829
Strikeout swinging. I want to, I want to, I'm going
632
00:31:51.849 --> 00:31:52.130
to win.
633
00:31:53.150 --> 00:31:53.410
Nice.
634
00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:57.440
Uh, best advice you've received from a coach this season.
635
00:31:57.460 --> 00:32:00.539
Um, it goes back to kind of what we talked
636
00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:02.980
about in the process, just the freedom that they pour
637
00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:05.500
into us to say like, Hey, we, we care about
638
00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:07.920
what you're doing, uh, behind the scenes and the work
639
00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:11.119
you put in daily. Um, not what the box score says,
640
00:32:11.160 --> 00:32:12.700
like that's not how they're going to judge you.
641
00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:12.849
So.
642
00:32:14.029 --> 00:32:16.900
Nice. Uh, best hitter you faced this season.
643
00:32:16.930 --> 00:32:17.000
Ooh.
644
00:32:18.109 --> 00:32:30.269
Um, Ooh. That's hard. I would say Hayden Yachik. I'm
645
00:32:30.309 --> 00:32:31.849
not sure how to say his last name. Eugene. I
646
00:32:32.430 --> 00:32:35.390
faced him in low A and high A. Controls the
647
00:32:35.410 --> 00:32:38.269
zone really well. He's got a lot of power. That's
648
00:32:38.289 --> 00:32:39.049
just one that comes to mind.
649
00:32:39.670 --> 00:32:44.029
Okay, awesome. Playlist of choice before a start.
650
00:32:44.890 --> 00:32:48.309
I'm a country guy. I'm an old country guy. I
651
00:32:48.329 --> 00:32:54.470
definitely am more low-key, more... lower energy pre-start. So I
652
00:32:54.809 --> 00:32:56.869
like to kind of just relax and hang out and
653
00:32:56.890 --> 00:32:57.549
force up on the field.
654
00:32:58.349 --> 00:32:58.670
Awesome.
655
00:32:59.230 --> 00:33:01.369
Uh, what is the most fun activity you have done
656
00:33:01.410 --> 00:33:02.670
with your teammates this year?
657
00:33:05.009 --> 00:33:07.890
Um, I'd say the bus trips. I think, I think
658
00:33:07.910 --> 00:33:10.980
coming back home after, after a series, especially a good
659
00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:15.380
series playing cards or whatever it is, just, um, the
660
00:33:15.420 --> 00:33:18.799
community that baseball brings and, and a lot of my
661
00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:19.259
best friends.
662
00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:21.859
What's the longest bus trip you took this year?
663
00:33:22.380 --> 00:33:25.799
Not, not too many terrible ones. I think seven. Okay.
664
00:33:25.819 --> 00:33:28.660
That's not too bad. Kyle, you're used to taking long
665
00:33:28.680 --> 00:33:29.740
bus trips places, aren't you?
666
00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:30.519
Yeah.
667
00:33:30.579 --> 00:33:34.309
We, uh, a couple of years when I was younger, 13,
668
00:33:34.309 --> 00:33:36.160
14 years old, we took bus trips all the way
669
00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:39.450
from up here down to Arizona for spring training. And
670
00:33:39.490 --> 00:33:43.869
that was multiple days on a bus. Seven hours doesn't
671
00:33:43.910 --> 00:33:45.549
sound too, too bad. No, no, not at all.
672
00:33:45.950 --> 00:33:49.269
I've heard the AA, the AA travels pretty insane. Um,
673
00:33:49.329 --> 00:33:51.910
from some of those, some of those guys are, definitely
674
00:33:51.930 --> 00:33:53.460
did not like that part of the Texas league.
675
00:33:54.700 --> 00:33:54.880
Yeah.
676
00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:58.180
There's some, there's some far trips. Like there are not
677
00:33:58.200 --> 00:34:01.059
any close double a parts from, from little rock. So
678
00:34:01.880 --> 00:34:03.920
you're going to be in for it for a little bit. Um,
679
00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:07.400
speaking of bus trips, favorite teammate to sit on a
680
00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:08.039
long bus.
681
00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:12.010
Ride with, um, he's been my answer for some other things.
682
00:34:12.070 --> 00:34:14.150
So I'm going to say Danny Mac, you're all, uh,
683
00:34:14.190 --> 00:34:16.949
just kind of a goofball. Um, going to continue the
684
00:34:16.989 --> 00:34:18.849
theme of saying Danny Mac on, on interviews.
685
00:34:19.650 --> 00:34:23.710
Okay. Um, What was your favorite road, ballpark, or city
686
00:34:23.750 --> 00:34:28.409
that you visited this season? Please say Vancouver.
687
00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:30.460
I didn't get to go to Vancouver.
688
00:34:30.900 --> 00:34:31.820
Oh, you didn't get to go.
689
00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:35.760
I mean, the guys in Everett loved Vancouver. Colton Shaw,
690
00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:38.000
I don't know how he would ever see this, but
691
00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:41.550
Colton Shaw loves Vancouver. So I wish I would have
692
00:34:41.570 --> 00:34:46.110
gotten the chance. Spokane was pretty cool, the ballparks. Both
693
00:34:46.150 --> 00:34:50.809
of the Rockies affiliates, I'd say Fresno, really cool ballpark.
694
00:34:51.190 --> 00:34:54.659
in the city um could walk back to the hotel
695
00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:57.619
that was that was an amazing trip and then also
696
00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:59.940
spokane which is the last week of the season.
697
00:35:00.760 --> 00:35:04.039
Awesome uh your go-to pre-game meal.
698
00:35:05.179 --> 00:35:08.670
Um i don't know it kind of changes it kind
699
00:35:08.710 --> 00:35:11.329
of changes i usually just eat at the field um
700
00:35:11.389 --> 00:35:12.510
i like to get up in the morning and make
701
00:35:12.550 --> 00:35:15.610
breakfast um or make breakfast with my wife and so
702
00:35:15.829 --> 00:35:18.309
usually just some bacon and eggs something simple sit outside
703
00:35:18.329 --> 00:35:21.670
for a little bit uh that's usually the go-to Nice.
704
00:35:22.610 --> 00:35:23.909
Your favorite off day activity?
705
00:35:26.010 --> 00:35:29.719
In California is definitely the beach. Yeah, I'd say the beach.
706
00:35:30.659 --> 00:35:33.960
Okay. And then last one, other than family and friends,
707
00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:36.940
one thing you miss the most from home during the season?
708
00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:40.679
Hunting for sure. I'm excited to go get on dove
709
00:35:40.699 --> 00:35:43.559
hunt a little bit. That's a, I think I definitely
710
00:35:43.579 --> 00:35:45.340
think about it quite a bit. And so getting a
711
00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:46.179
chance to do this a lot of fun.
712
00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:49.570
Okay. Well, that's, that's all we got for you, Mason.
713
00:35:50.199 --> 00:35:52.369
We thank you very much for your time and being
714
00:35:52.409 --> 00:35:55.150
so open and honest with us and very generous with
715
00:35:55.170 --> 00:35:57.329
your time. Do you have any social media you want
716
00:35:57.349 --> 00:35:58.969
to plug for people at all?
717
00:36:00.510 --> 00:36:03.730
Sure. My Instagram, I only have Instagram and Twitter. And
718
00:36:03.750 --> 00:36:06.650
that's just mason.w.peters.
719
00:36:06.670 --> 00:36:11.659
Okay, awesome. Kyle and I wish you the best this
720
00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:14.179
coming season. Have a great off season. Get rested and
721
00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:16.639
ready for your next season. And I'll maybe see you
722
00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:18.360
in Little Rock come next year.
723
00:36:18.559 --> 00:36:20.099
I hope so. Awesome.
724
00:36:20.119 --> 00:36:21.340
Thanks, Mason. We appreciate it.
725
00:36:21.340 --> 00:36:22.030
Of course.
726
00:36:22.510 --> 00:36:23.130
Thank you very much.