Swingin' Rays Volume 1

News & Notes
Inside

Welcome to the GRB Rays program. Over the last 10 years, we have dedicated ourselves to helping improve
baseball in Wisconsin, and to advancing and guiding players in the game that we love.
In that time, the Rays program has been started and built from the ground floor into one of the top places
to play in the Midwest and the country. The program’s rise is a combination of hard work and dedication
by all, players and staff.
What we offer with the Rays program is simple: We guarantee that you will find coaches and staff that
take the game and training as serious as the players do. Players in our program will be given every
platform item needed to improve and advance their career - the right training, skill development, advice,
and recruiting opportunities.
I hope you join us here at GRB. We love the game and would love the opportunity to help your family
get where they want to go.
Yours In Baseball-
Greg Reinhard
Owner - GRB Academy

News & Notes
Program information and announcements
Inside
Recruiting Corner
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin shares some insights on the
ever-evolving world of recruiting
Kendall Flying up Draft Boards
Former Ray and Vanderbilt star Jeren Kendall is seeing his draft stock rise
after an outstanding 2016 summer and a strong start to the 2017 season
Player Improvement Section
The importance of finding a program focusing on development
Alumni Spotlight
Chatting with former Ray and Ohio University standout Rudy Rott
What’s New at GRB Academy
A look at what’s coming up at GRB Academy
facebook.com/grbacademy
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News & Notes
Welcome the Catching up with the Swingin’ Rays news
and notes page. We will use this space to keep everyone
involved with what is going on with the GRB Rays program.
This is the place to check for updated practice schedules,
uniform information, payment updates, apparel order, etc.
Apparel/Spirit Wear Orders
All remaining spirit wear orders are ready for pick-up at
the facility. Backpacks, shirts, shorts and other apparel has
come back to GRB. Stop by the facility to pick that up if you
have ordered something and have not received your items.

Recruiting Corner
Checking in with Tim Corbin, Head Coach
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin is in his
15th season in Nashville. Corbin holds a 610-
290 record entering the 2017 season, which
includes a NCAA College World Series Championship
in 2014. While head coach at Vanderbilt, Corbin has
coached 25 first-round picks in the MLB Draft, including
the No. 1-overall selections in the 2007 and 2015 drafts (David
Price ‘07 - Tampa Bay Rays & Dansby Swanson ‘15 - Arizona
Diamondbacks). We had the chance to ask Coach Corbin a
couple questions about recruiting and his program.
At what point does it makes sense to contact a college coach?
Anytime, but really during the 10th grade year.
Do college coaches care about what a player did at younger levels?
No, not really.
When do I know a coach is serious about recruiting me?
If you are being continually contacted by that coach.
What advice do you have for players regarding social media?
STAY OFF OF IT - Invest in personal relationship rather than a keyboard.
Do coaches care more about projectability or mostly current performance?
A little of both - Kendall was projectable, but it was also important to see his immediate
competitiveness.
Are stats important, or more about tools and ability?
Stats may help dignify the player, but tools and ability mean more.
What role does a showcase play in your recruiting?
Very little. We want to see a young man compete.
What is one thing that your school does that sets you apart from the rest?
Tough to say, but I would say that we do a good job of empowering and growing a young
male into adulthood.
Tell us what former Rays player Jeren Kendall does that sets him apart?
6-Tool individual. Makeup is very good. Has physical abilities that are not common. Effort
level is high all of the time,

Jeren Kendall
KENDALL HAS VAULTED HIS WAY UP MLB DRAFT BOARDS DURING HIS TIME AT VANDERBILT
Former Rays standout Jeren Kendall is viewed
by many in Major League circles as to top collegiate
player available in this years MLB Draft held
in June. Kendall, a member of the Rays in 2013, is
in the midst of a standout junior season at Vanderbilt.
The Holmen, Wis. native was a 30th round pick
in 2014 out of high school by the Boston Red Sox.
Kendall decided to join coach Tim Corbin at Vanderbilt,
a move which has paid off in a number of
ways, allowing Kendall to become a more complete
player and enjoy a trip to the College World
Series in 2015.
Kendall was the first player in CWS history to
hit a walk-off homer at TD Ameritrade Park when
he belted a two-run homer to top Cal Sate Fullerton.
It was also the first walk-off home run at the
College World Series since 2009. The breakthrough
performance in the CWS was just and exclamation
point on a freshman season that garnered
Kendall NCAA Freshman All-American status as
well as being named to
the Freshman All-SEC
team.
“Jeren emerged as
a key component of
our 2015 Omaha team
as a freshman and has
steadily grown as a
player,” said Vanderbilt
head coach Tim
Corbin. “His
physical
skills are different, uncommon and fun to watch.
He can impact a game with his feet, glove, arm
and bat. His best baseball is ahead of him for
sure,” said Corbin. “He is mature and very consistent
in everything that he does on and off
the field. His disposition makes him fun and
easy to coach.”
Early mock drafts have the speedy,
left-handed hitting outfielder going anywhere
from No. 1 overall to the Minnesota Twins to
the Oakland A’s at No. 6. According to MLB.
com Draft news, Kendall is the “clearcut
best college position player in
the Draft, with nifty all-around
tools.” A rare combination of
speed and power, Kendall
already has 12 home runs
and is 14-for-18 on stolen
base attempts through
37 games in 2017.
A toolsy player
out of high school,
Kendall was named
the 2014 Gatorade
Baseball Player of
the Year in Wisconsin,
where he also a
star on the ice. Kendall
was a standout
hockey player at
Homen High School.
Kendall chose
Vanderbilt to further
develop on and off

Kendall’s Year-by-Year Statistics - Vanderbilt
Year AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLG% OB% SB-ATT BB HBP
2015 .281 60-56 185 34 52 10 6 8 40 .530 .394 19-23 21 14
2016 .332 62-62 250 63 83 16 8 9 59 .568 .396 28-36 25 4
2017* .302 41-41 172 43 52 6 3 12 33 .581 .384 14-18 21 3
* - Stats through April 25, 2017
the field. “I knew this would be the place where I could accomplish my goal of being successful
whether it is on or off the baseball diamond,” said Kendall. In the classroom at Vanderbilt,
Kendall is majoring in Psychology.
After the 2016 season, Kendall was named to the NCAA All-American 3rd-Team after
leading Vanderbilt to a 43-19 record. Kendall lead the Commodores hitting .332 with a
team-high 16 doubles, eight triples, 59 RBIs and going 28-for-36 on stolen base attempts.
Kendall also slugged nine home runs.
Last summer, he earned a spot on the Team USA Collegiate National squad. Kendall
starred hitting .290 with two home runs, three triple to go along with five doubles and a
team-leading 14 RBIs. The CNT made trips to Taiwan, Japan and Cuba while compiling an
11-7-1 record against the top talent in the world.
His physical skills are different,
uncommon and fun to watch. He
can impact a game with his feet,
glove, arm and bat.
So far through the first half of the 2017 season, Kendall is
hitting .302 with a team-high 12 home runs, three triples
while going 14-for-18 on stolen base attempts.
Kendall also has six doubles and 33 RBIs.
In June, Kendall is poised to hear his name early
on opening night of the MLB Draft. His tools allow
him to stay in the premium centerfield position as
well as providing excellent power and speed that can
stay at the top of a Major League lineup. His game has been
compared by those in MLB Draft rooms to Jacoby Ellsbury, but
with a much stronger throwing arm.

Rudy Rott
THE OHIO UNIVERSITY SOPHOMORE LOOKS TO BUILD OFF A STELLAR FRESHMAN CAMPAIGN
Ohio University Sophomore first baseman Rudy
Rott has entered the 2017 season with high hopes
after his freshman campaign in Athens. Rott
was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman
All-American team at the conclusion of the 2016
season.
The former Rays standout had a breakout season
for the Bobcats, playing 52 games, starting 51
of them at first base and designated hitter. Rott
(Holmen, Wis./La Crosse Aquinas) finished third
on the team with a .319 batting average, 65 hits
and a .426 slugging percentage. Rott clubbed three
home runs and 13 doubles while finishing second
on the team with
a .406 on-base
percentage, in-
cluding 11 hitby-pitches.
The
left-handed
hitting
Rott led
the team with 14 multi-RBI games, including four
games of at least three RBIs.
During the 2016 summer, Rott played in 58
games with the Eau Claire Express of the Northwoods
League, one of the top collegiate summer
leagues in the country. Rott finished with a .270
batting average in 204 at-bats, while recording
seven doubles, a homer and knocking in 28 runs.
Rott finished with 24 walks while only striking out
27 times in helping the Express to a NWL Playoff
appearance.
As of April 17, Rott is hitting .277 through 35
games. Rott has six home runs to go along with
eight doubles with a team-leading 28 RBIs. In
weekend series against Eastern Michigan (April
14-17), Rott finished with a .461 AVG (6-for-13), four
home runs and 12 RBIs, including two homers and
six RBIs in each of the final games of the series,
earning him MAC Player of the Week honors.
“Our offense as a whole showed a lot of very
positive things. As a whole we looked more relaxed
and really competed in all at-bats, especially
with runners in scoring position,” said Rott about
the weekend. “Personally I made a few little adjustments
this past week and have been seeing
the ball better, so I just tried to get some pitches
over the plate and put good swings on them.”
Ohio currently sits in second-place in the MAC
Eastern Division at 4-games back of Kent State
with 15 conference games to play.
Rott Year-by-Year Statistics - Ohio University
Year AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SLG% OB% SB-ATT BB HBP
2016 .319 52-51 204 31 65 13 0 3 39 .426 .406 0-0 21 11
2017* .277 35-35 137 23 38 8 0 6 28 .467 .363 1-2 12 5
* - Stats through April 17, 2017

Player Improvement
Ohio University Sophomore first baseman Rudy
Rott has entered the 2017 season with high hopes
after hi

Situational Talk
A look into the differences between a Hit & Run and Run & Hit
Although both hit & runs and run & hits send the
runner in motion, they are different in the rules
and responsibilities of the runner and the hitter.
Hit & Run
A hit & run typically is used to get a runner that
maybe not have the ability to straight steal a base
in motion. Trying to get them in motion serves as
a way to stay out of a double play or to try to get
that runner to third base if executed properly. This
usually requires a hitter at the plate with good bat
control and a count that is expected to produce a
fastball from the pitcher as fastballs are less likely
to yield a swing and miss. Good counts for hit &
runs are usually 1-0, 2-0 and 2-1. An 0-0 count is
often difficult to call a hit & run as 0-0 is a good
count to pitch out for the pitcher and catcher.
Runners responsibility on a Hit & Run
The on thing a runner must make sure of on a hit
& run is that they do not get picked off. The runner
is not trying to get a jump where they can straight
steal, they are just trying to make sure the pitcher
goes to the plate before they start in motion. They
are relying on the hitter to protect them and cover
up with a swing. This is why runners are usually
thrown out by quite a bit at second if the hitter
swings and misses or takes the pitch.
After the runner takes off, he must take a peek
back at the plate to see where the ball is whether
it is hit on the ground, in the air or swung through.
If the ball is hit on the ground, the runner must
make the decision of whether they can make it
to third base or not. The general rule of thumb is
that if the runner gets to second base before the
outfielder has the ball, it typically is a good decision
to make it to third base, unless that ball is hit
to the left fielder. The key to making this happen
is to not slow down when taking that peek back
towards the plate.
If the ball is hit in the air, the runner doesn't automatically
have to get back to first base. The runner
must see where the ball is and make the decision.
If the ball is hit in the infield they should head
back to the base. If the ball is hit in the outfield,
they must judge where the outfielder is going to
catch the ball. I say that the runner should keep
getting off the base as long as they see the outfielders
back numbers. Once they start to camp,
then the can start retreating towards first base.
The runner doesn't want to be going back towards
first base in case the outfielder where to not be
able to make a play and the ball gets behind them.
One tricky decision is if the ball is hit on a line.
I tell runners to keep going just in case the ball
where to get through the infield as they would
have a chance to make it to third. If the ball is
caught on a line drive, it is unlikely they would
make it back to first base before being doubled up.
Hitter responsibility on a Hit & Run
The hitter on a hit & run should be one with good
bat control, being that a swing and miss will cause
the runner to be thrown out at second base and
a ball hit in the air will usually result in a double
play. I have three rules for my hitters on a hit &
run and three levels of importance.
First rule is that the hitter must swing. Even if the
ball is out of the zone, the hitter must swing. If the
hitter swings and misses, there is still a chance
that the swing allows for the catcher to stay down

in the crouch a bit longer to at least give the runner
a chance a steal second.
The second rule, with a little less importance, is
that they hit the ball on the ground. This ensures
that there is less likely a double play and that the
runner has a chance to make it to third with a ball
through the infield.
The third rule is that they hit the ball to the opposite
side on the ground. This is because with a
right hander at the plate, the second baseman will
vacate his spot to cover second base on a throw
down and a left hander at the plate, the shortstop
will cover the bag leaving a big hole to hit through,
ensuring the ball makes it to the outfield.
Run & Hit
A run & hit is different in the fact that the runner
at first has the ability to steal the base straight
up and the hitter has the option to swing the bat
or not. The hitter doesn't have to be as controlled
with the bat as he would be in a hit and run scenario.
A primary count to use the run & hit is 3-1
as the pitcher is for sure trying to throw a strike
with typically a fastball. Also, if the hitter takes a
ball, the runner will make it to second on a walk.
Run & hits can also be used in 2-1 and 2-0 counts
depending on the right personnel on first and at
the plate.
Runners responsibility on a Run & Hit
With a run & hit, the runner at first is trying to
steal second base. He can try to get a good jump
where he can steal the bag even if the hitter takes
or swing through the ball. Once the runner takes
off, however, he must still take a look back at the
plate to pick up the ball whether it is hit, taken or
swung through. If the ball is hit, he must decide
whether to try for third or even home if the ball is
hit in the gap, or head back to the base if the ball
is hit in the air on the infield or if the outfielder
can camp on the ball.
Hitters responsibility on a Run & Hit
The difference for the hitter on a run & hit, is that
there is an option to swing the bat or not. I like to
use the run and hit on a 3-1 count and tell the hitter
to swing at a strike. The difference is that they
have to option to take a ball on the play as to not
take the bat completely out of their hand. If they
take a ball, they walk. I usually tell the hitter to try
to hit a double to try to score the run with the runner
in motion. That way they hunt a pitch to hit
and put a good swing on it without focusing too
much on just getting the ball in play. If they swing
through the ball, the runner is trying to steal the
bag anyway. Since they are swinging at a strike,
make sure the hitter is gearing up for a fastball in
an almost certain fastball count. Don't be late or
swing defensively on the run & hit.
The key to running a successful hit &
run or run & hit is making sure players
are understanding of their responsibilities
on first base and
at the plate. Also as a coach,
understanding your personnel
at first and at
the plate to ensure
to give your team
the best
chance for
success
with each
play.

what’s coming up
Tryouts
New camps to be posted June 1