Reagan Teegarden arrived at Virginia Tech last year as a transfer from Central Arizona College and was immediately placed in a starting role. However, the Bellevue, Washington native suffered a season-ending injury 21 games into the season. Having appeared in every game before the injury, Teegarden batted .212 in those 21 games and .333 in seven conference games. Look for Teegarden to carve out a spot in the lineup in his senior season either as an infielder or designated hitter.
Q: What’s your most unusual talent?
RT: I don’t really know if I have one. That’s a tough one. What would you say Gavin [Cross]? Do you think I have any hidden talents?
GC: The helmet throw.
RT: (Laughs) I can chuck my helmet unusually far. No.
Q: Well then, what’s something that people don’t know about you?
RT: I’m sure you know this, but a lot of people when I introduce myself for group projects or stuff, I say I’m from Washington, and a lot of people don’t know that. I tell them not D.C., like the actual state, and they say, ‘Oh, really? You’re far away.’ A lot of people don’t know that I have two brothers, three dogs, and my parents have been following me around in an RV while I’ve been here at Virginia Tech.
Q: Who’s the funniest guy on the team? Who’s the smartest guy on the team?
RT: Smartest, it’s either [Ryan] Okuda or [Ryan] Metz. Definitely one of those two. Funniest is probably Kevin [Madden].
Q: What’s been your favorite memory over your time at Virginia Tech?
RT: I’d probably say that Florida State series last year. Even though we lost two of three games, it was really memorable, and I really started to hit more that series. It was probably my best series early on in the year.
Q: You’re from Washington, and you were previously at Central Arizona College. What attracted you to Blacksburg?
RT: I really liked the coaches obviously. Meeting coach Szefc, meeting him. I liked the small college town feel. My mom has family on the east coast, and I never really got to meet or connect with [her family]. Coming here has really helped me get to know them and know the other half of my family.
Q: You were hampered last year by injury. How tough was that for you to miss most of the season?
RT: It was really tough. I look back on it, and that was probably the time in the season where I was starting to get going and really doing better than early on. It was tough to just sit there on the side and watch the guys go to work without me. Not being able to contribute much other than a couple ideas or mentioning something to someone that I noticed.
Q: What did you learn during that recovery time?
RT: I learned that it’s good to sit back and watch. It helps you notice things that you wouldn’t really notice if you were playing. Just small things, too – backups and positioning of players and stuff like that.
Q: You hit .212 last year in 21 games. What have you been working on offensively this offseason to improve your game?
RT: This offseason, I kind of went through a couple different swing changes in terms of my load. Just trying to be a tough out. Putting the ball in play and making the defense get me out rather than getting myself out.
Q: How beneficial has the new technology you guys have been using working toward that approach?
RT: It’s been really beneficial. Blast Motion has been a really big tool for me because the metrics we use with that, I’ve been able to track certain aspects of the analytics that when my swing is going well this is what I’m doing as opposed to when I’m not doing well, this is what I’m doing wrong. We can look at my swing on video and find out what that key piece is.
Q: How do you want people to remember Reagan Teegarden when you take off the Virginia Tech jersey for the last time?
RT: Probably want people to remember me just being a good person all around whether that’s on the field or off the field. Being a good teammate, being a good student in class. Participating with my professors. Just stuff like that.
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