Brett Hanewich highlights LA Angels deep bullpen talent

Brett Hanewich on his 2019 Spring Training Experiences

This past year wasn’t Brett Hanewich’s first Spring Training experience, but it was hands down his most impactful. His first experiences in Spring Training had him getting comfortable in a big league environment and become familiar with the process.

This year he had more of a chance to shine and he showed his stuff big time. Hanewich appeared in the Dodgers series to end Spring Training and looked more than ready for the occasion by striking out big league hitters who’re primed for the regular season..

He has the stuff, he has he strong head on his shoulders, he has the drive; now all he needs is a bit more seasoning in the Angels MiLB system and he’ll be ready to take MLB hitters by storm.

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“Spring Training this year was a little different for me since I had more experience going in. In my first year I didn’t know what to expect, in the second year I had a better idea of what’s going on and where I might be regarding where I was with my pitching and where I wanted to go forward.

Spring was important for me looking back because I learned a lot regarding the process of how things work and how much attention needs to be paid to when you’re working pre-game in order to have success while you’re out in the game.

I paid very close attention to detail regarding warm-ups, going into things with more intent like playing catch; little things that, before, I didn’t think were that important. It’s paid dividends in my Spring outings and I’m going to be taking that forward going into the season. Focusing in more and having more intent on the small things; stretching, workouts, anything that needs attention and focus paid. It really helped me during Spring with every facet of my game, especially things I struggled on.

Command has been my biggest issue, especially in the past. I had a great Spring, especially with command. I think my first outing I ended up walking two guys, I was a backup for the big league games so I ended up pitching in that.

I think a lot of that was nerves, I want to say, because the rest of Spring I was pretty locked in. I’ve been pretty honed in on strikeouts, getting ahead of batters, getting into favorable counts. It really helped me out because I had a great Spring, in my opinion.”

Brett Hanewich on his work with John Denny

John Denny is a thirteen year MLB vet who retired from the game in 1986 after throwing 171.1 innings and striking out 115 while maintaining a 4.20 ERA with the Cincinnati Reds. His best year came in 1983, a year which saw him reign in the Cy Young award at the age of 30 after pitching 242.2 innings of 2.37 ERA baseball while winning 19 total games.

Brett Hanewich came under Denny’s wings two years ago and the two spent quite a bit of time and energy into the personal pitching instruction from the former Cy Young winner. These lessons didn’t come close to the standard groove; not only did they test the strength of his character and his determination to grow, but also dedication to the game and most importantly, his dedication to himself.

Los Angeles Angels

Every morning started with a two-hour drive, right at 7am, to John Denny’s house for up to 15 hours of pitching lessons a day. From strength training to velocity workouts to some slightly unconventional practices, Hanewich involved himself in more than just simple “pitching lessons”. Hanewich put himself through a grinder that, in the end, has separated himself from the rest of the developing pack of bullpen arms.

“I didn’t work with him this offseason since he retired two years ago from his pitching coach lessons. The work I did with him molded me into who I am today; obviously a power pitcher who likes to attack guys with my fastball, which in my opinion, is my best pitch. You don’t see many guys with velocity in the high 90’s.

I put in a lot of effort in conditioning my body and my arm to do that on a consistent basis rather than once every 10 pitches. That was the main thing we did but without even knowing at the time it was kind of what I learned in Spring Training, I just learned it a little bit later. Looking back in hindsight I think “Oh man, we worked on that, we did that everyday.”

It was the little things like the intent on pitches, looking at the little details on things. Where I’m releasing it, where my arm is, looking at the catcher at the plate and picking a tiny spot on him. Looking at the plate in thirds rather than a whole; middle, in, and away.

Tiny things that I never really paid attention to in years past, When you’re young you don’t really think about anything, you just go out there and play like a little kid. I’m starting to look at things with more detail and it’s really helping me. I learned now to take those things into consideration.

We worked out together everyday; got stronger with specific pitching exercises to help me on the mound. He knew that game better than anyone I’ve been around. I talked to him everyday; talking about baseball, his experiences and stories, things that get you excited about the career path that I’ve chosen and the one all my teammates have chosen. It gets you excited and really changes your perspective on the sport. It makes you want to work even harder everyday.

On the days we threw hot off a mound we’d put on max effort and try to hit some numbers on a radar gun. We’d throw long toss about 350-400 feet before we did that, whereas if you throw before guys might want to save some bullets and throw a little shorter, but the way we did it was a little unconventional.

We’d work out every single day and for an hour and a half we’d do some special workouts, I don’t wanna say it was like yoga or pilates, but it was a lot of work without weights. You wouldn’t think that would get you stronger but it made me ten times stronger than if I was in the weight room lifting. I would have never thought in a million years that would get me stronger, but it did every single day and you could tell.

Other than that the work and commitment we both made to each other was a little unconventional. I drove two hours there and two hours back, every morning starting at 7am and was home about 3am every single day. I stayed at home cause I didn’t have a place to stay with him.

I did that six days a week and had Sundays off; that was pretty unconventional, you don’t see that very often where you have guys driving four hours there and back or have guys like John Denny who would work with me every single day for that long. I’m very thankful for him and what he’s done for me. I still stay in contact with him, I talked to him a couple of weeks ago. I’ll probably end up calling a couple of days from now as well just to see how he’s doing.

Brett Hanewich on his 2019 goals

Hanewich is as good as they come; a strong arm and an even stronger head on his shoulders. Hanewich carries himself with the type of strength and purpose you don’t see from too many ball players, but at the same time we’re seeing a lot of that within the Angels system. It seems that Billy Eppler has a very specific mold for the guys he brings into the organization.

A lot of the young prospects are the type of guys to look deeper into the details, to ask themselves to think beyond the standard sphere of reasoning. Guys who will do more than is asked of them, more than they might think they could do themselves at first glance. Billy Eppler has brought together a collection of men who seek the challenge, men who look to hold greater aspirations than to simply be “good”.

Brett Hanewich is a living embodiment of that mold, someone who looks to find situations bigger than themselves, at the end of the day you are only as big as the situations you put yourself into. That’s the only way to grow not only as an athlete, but as a person.

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Put yourself in places you may not be 100% ready for or may not feel like you completely belong and discovering within yourself what it takes to rise to these moments. It started small for Hanewich; after pitching to a 3.76 ERA in Low A Burlington we saw Hanewich change his mentality and approach on the mound and find immediate success with High A by pitching 42.2 innings of 1.90 baseball with 51 K’s.

Hanewich has proved time and time again he can find within himself the qualities necessary to compete and dominate in these ever-changing, ever-growing moments of trial and challenge. I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like the molding of someone who will dominate any ground they step into.

Regardless of it being on the field as a pitcher or off the field in everyday life, Brett Hanewich knows the ‘not-so-secret’ secret to success and will undoubtedly find overwhelming success wherever he goes.

“I want to get to the highest level that I possibly can, obviously the highest level possible which is the Major Leagues. I’m trying to enjoy the ride as much as I can, trying to put my head down and work. That’s what it’s all about, this is a grind. I could be here [High A] for the entire year, I could be here two weeks.

Wherever life takes me, whether it’s Double A or Burlington, wherever it is, it’s all about just working hard and getting better every single day. Then hopefully it trends in the right direction and I have success, I keep evolving with my pitching like you’re saying and make the jump to Double A, Triple A, or the Major Leagues. I want to do that as fast as I can but I know the Angels have a plan with where they want me and where they envision me.

Obviously they envision me here for right now, that’s why I’m here and whatever their decisions are for the future it’s out of my control other than what I can control; which is putting my head down, working hard and getting better every single day.

It’ll all take care of itself, that’s where I’m at right now. You can never be satisfied with what you’re doing, if you’re satisfied you get comfortable. If you’re satisfied you wanna stay right where you are and you never want to be that person. You want to be growing every single day on and off the field.”

Brett Hanewich has thrown 2.1 innings on the 2019 season with the High A Inland Empire 66ers and has allowed no hits will collecting a strikeout. Of the three games he’s appeared in he’s finished two of them, though not in save situations.