Haseley cutting early swath for Williamsport

Going into his sophomore year of the University of Virginia, Adam Haseley retooled his swing mechanics. In his final year, he turned his attention to a more consistent mental approach. When both fit together, the eighth overall pick in this year's Draft found an elite level of success at the college level that has spilled over into his first two weeks of professional baseball.
"I just tried to keep working on that in the spring and try to stay consistent and just bring it on to here," he said.
Haseley singled three times and drove in a run to lead the Class A Short Season Williamsport to a 6-3 victory over State College at Lubrano Park. The 21-year-old has collected at least two hits in all but one of his nine pro games, reaching base in each of them.

Gameday box score
"It's honestly just kind of like a battle against myself for how disciplined I can be and for whatever pitch that I'm looking for in whatever type of count. It's just kind of sticking with that plan," the 21-year-old said. "Just kind of going towards my strength and not be a guy that's trying to hit a bunch of home runs."
A First-Team All-American in his junior season in Charlottesville, Haseley led the Cavaliers with a .390 average, 87 hits, 14 homers, 68 runs, 16 doubles, 44 walks and 147 total bases en route to being named a Golden Spikes finalist. He went 7-1 with a 3.58 ERA in 11 starts on the mound to earn a spot on the John Olerud Two-Way Player Award list. 
Haseley batted .583 during a three-game assignment in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, collecting two extra-base hits and driving in four runs. Since moving up to Williamsport on June 30, the Orlando, Florida native has 11 hits in 24 at-bats to bring his overall average to .500 with six RBIs and four stolen bases.
"It's just kind of taking a pitch, and wherever it is, just trying to work with it and try to make some hard contact," he said.

Following a pair of walks and a wild pitch by State College starter Anthony Ciavarella in the opening frame, Haseley worked the count full and grounded a run-scoring knock back through the middle.
"I chased the pitch. I was just kind of sitting on a fastball again because I swung through it, and it was quicker than I thought it was going to be," he said. "It was just in a place that I could handle. It could have been a double play, but it kind of fortunately went up the middle."
The southpaw got ahead of Haseley, 1-2, in the third inning, but the left-handed hitter slapped a liner the other way for a base hit.
"I was late on a couple of pitches and I just tried to shorten my swing for a 1-2 pitch," he said. "It was just a fastball away and I tried to put the barrel on it."
Haseley took his third at-bat in the fifth following a scary moment that forced teammate Malvin Matos out of the game. State College reliever Levi MaVorhis uncorked a wild curveball in a 2-1 count that caught the Williamsport left fielder in the back of his helmet. Haseley said Matos' removal from the game was precautionary and he was "coherent" in the clubhouse.

Haseley took a hack at the first pitch from MaVorhis and hit a bouncer mishandled by Spikes second baseman Zach Kirtley to quell the threat of a double play before retiring the Williamsport center fielder at first.
With one on and one out in the seventh, Haseley lined out to center on the seventh pitch of the at-bat against MaVorhis. In the ninth, he lined a single to left on the first pitch against Noel Gonzalez.
"It was a little bit of a weird sky, I guess. ... It kind of got darker and I thought I saw the ball a little bit better. I just wanted to go up there aggressive," Haseley said. "I was late my first two at-bats, so I was telling myself to try and be a little bit earlier."
Rodolfo Duran tripled and singled twice to drive in two runs for the Crosscutters.