Cody Colding would live in the Mike E. Sansone Park batting cage, if his parents let him.
Colding, 17, says his entire world has revolved around the game of baseball from a young age, and his fifteen years of dedication are paying off. The Plant City High School junior was named to the Baseball Factory’s Team One, which will play in the 2014 Under Armour Southeast Regional Championships, which will take place June 4 to 10, at Roger Dean Sports Complex, in Jupiter.
“I got a note in the mail one time to come try out for them,” Colding says. “I went to their tryout, and they had me go to a couple of camps. Some of the coaches put in a good word for me, and then they called me up one day saying, ‘Would I like to go play for Team One?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ I haven’t been on a national team like that before.”
That was in January. Since then, Colding has been preparing for the national tournament — often practicing four days a week, outside of his obligations with the Raiders and the Rawlings Heat travel team. He’s had goals like this for about as long as he can remember, and no one is happier to see him meet them than his family.
BACKYARD BASEBALL
Colding inherited his love of the game from his parents, who also grew up enjoying baseball. Between working and serving in the U.S. Army, Colding’s father, Michael, wasn’t able to play much. His mother, Becki, was a softball player raised in a baseball family.
“It started with my grandfather,” she says. “When we were young, the TV would be on one game, and he’d have another game on the radio. The sound would be off on the TV. My grandfather’s brother — he was recruited by the Cardinals to be a pitcher. That’s probably where all the love came from.”
When Cody was young, the whole family played ball in the back yard. Michael played catch with his son, Becki helped him with batting, and her parents served as pitchers.
If the Atlanta Braves were on, Cody and the Colding family would be watching. He especially liked Chipper Jones.
“Watching Chipper — that’s how he learned to hit,” Michael Colding says.
These days, Cody can watch a game and call the action before it unfolds on the field.
“I never tried any other sports,” he says. “I’ve always thought about it, but I’d think about it more and be like, ‘Well, baseball is what I like, and I don’t really want to get hurt.’ I was thinking about football, and then, in fifth grade, I was playing football for recess and went to dive for a touchdown. I broke my thumb. That’s what changed my mind.”
SCIENCE OF THE SWING
Colding’s coaches are convinced his dedication to the game has helped him hone his fundamentals in all areas.
Although he’s not a pitcher, he’s able to play all over the field. He sees the most time at the hot corners — first and third base — but also can play in the outfield and be a team’s backstop behind the plate. With the Raiders, Colding primarily sees action as the team’s designated hitter.
“From what I’ve heard from the scouts, he has a natural power swing,” hitting coach Jeff Bauer says. “They say it’s hard to teach, but if you have it, you can perfect it.”
Despite of what many people think, the secret to hitting for power isn’t really about bulking up. A batter can generate a lot of power with a clean swing and quick hands.
“Cody is an aggressive hitter, with a level swing path, good barrel accuracy and a hard/consistent swing path,” one of his scouting reports says.
He also has a good eye for the ball, according to his coaches.
“He says he can see the seams,” Bauer says. “That’s what helps him — he knows what’s coming. The fundamentals that he has with batting are what all these kids need.”
What also sets Colding apart is his baseball I.Q.
“His instincts are good,” Rawlings Heat coach Chris Lashley says. “The key is to be able to think ahead of the play. Know where your play’s gonna be, know what to do with the bat.”
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
Colding has little trouble making in-game decisions, but evaluating his prospective college choices is trickier.
Not that he’s had a problem getting noticed: He’s drawn interest from D-1 programs such as Florida State, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Auburn and Tennessee. Because he gets so many emails from colleges, camps, and other baseball sources, Colding had to create a second email account.
His decision doesn’t have to be made right now, though, and he’s not too worried about it yet. The tournament is what currently occupies his mind. He hopes to leave with some victories and good impressions made with the scouts.
“Baseball is basically the love of my life,” he says.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
BAT BUSTER
Cody Colding was put onto wood bats when he was 13. That’s not unusual: Many young players are made to play with wood, because it presents a greater challenge than swinging aluminum.
For Colding, though, that wasn’t the case. Thanks to quick hands and a naturally powerful swing, his aluminum bats held up about as well as wiffle ball bats.
“He would dent the composite bats,” mother Becki Colding says. “Easton wouldn’t warranty his bats when he was young.”
They sometimes lasted a few games. Other times, they didn’t even make it through one.
“I remember those days,” coach Jeff Bauer says. “There was one Easton bat — he hit one hit with it and put a big dent in it. They wouldn’t let him use it anymore. It’s hard to dent an aluminum bat, unless you hit something hard, like metal.”