Testimonial Tuesday: Tucker Toman

Testimonial Tuesday: Tucker Toman

Date: April 2, 2019
By: Eric Leary

Wisdom in baseball is often thought to be reserved for the seasoned veterans who have played the game or even coached it for a lifetime. Though a fair assumption under most circumstances, after a conversation with the left-handed hitting third baseman Tucker Toman, those stereotypes are deemed moot. That’s because he’s a 2022 grad. He will graduate from high school in 2022.

This was apparent after a recent interview the Dirtbags when the used words like “meaningful and exciting” to describe is time with the organization.  And when he began to talk about all that he has learned in the baseball – which he called a “game of failure” – it provided insight as to how much he really has experienced already. Especially considering Tucker is just a 15 year old freshman.

Another example is this past Saturday, when texting to determine if he could take the call for the interview for this article, he was in the cages with his coach just hours after a Friday night game that saw his Hammond School Skyhawks, or Columbia, SC, come up a run short. He understood that lessons from that game were best learned while the iron was still hot.

Standing at 6’1” and weighing in at 175 pounds, Toman not only looks and plays well beyond his age, it is safe to say he even understands and articulates beyond his years. He has been learning from his experiences all his life.  

As the general manager of the Dirtbags, Trey Daly had this to say about him, “You can tell Tucker has been around the game for a long time. You can find Tucker on the corner of the infield, on the mound, or even behind the plate. He’s a versatile player that understands the game a young age.”

All of the learning and all of the work has caught the attention of some big time programs near and far. In fact, Tucker has already committed to play collegiately for the Oregon Ducks. This happened prior to him even playing a game as a high school freshman. Let that sink in a minute.

He says Oregon was always a top target, as he picked the Ducks from several other renowned programs across the country. Toman says he has long admired Oregon head coach George Horton and was impressed with the top-notch staff. Once he visited campus, he said the deal was a no brainer as the perfect fit to serve his athletic and academic needs.

With tons of talent and definitely a feel for the game, Tucker Toman has now been with the Dirtbags for about a year and a half, playing on teams led by both CJ Beatty and Trey Daly.  Since joining the organization he says he’s seen his game elevate, especially in the mental aspects of performance. From reading the ball out of the hand of the pitcher when hitting, to seeing the pitcher’s hand angle while on the bases, he has gained advantages on pitch recognition.

Beyond the help on the field, Tucker has appreciated the Dirtbags’ assistance in the recruiting process. The exposure he said he received and the contacts made by Daly were crucial in his ability to garner early notoriety and have an impressive list of opportunities.

But growing as a player remains his focus. And growing is what he’s all about these days – both in his experiences and physically. His current physical stature is thanks to a recent 2-3 inch spurt in height. Add to that he has been equipping his body with a workout regiment and nutrition plan under the watchful eye of his strength and conditioning coach at Hammond.

Add to the experience list his outings with the Dirtbags. Tucker says that events like PG’s WWBA in the summer of 2018 definitely helped him gain exposure and success in a highly competitive environment; his squad went 6-0-1. Also, he was part of the Dirtbag team that would win the Freshmen Elite event at Lake Point this past fall.

It’s playing at that level with dominance that Toman says makes him want to continue to grow as a player and be with a team produces those types of results. He said he looks forward to the 2019 Dirtbag campaign has his sights on winning the WWBA.

For now, his Hammond Skyhawks are doing exactly that too – dominating – right where he thought they’d be. And he knows about winning with his teammates at Hammond, having already competed for a state championship in basketball this past winter for the school.

Besides all this playing ball, if the truth be known, he has a thing for playing on his gaming system. Though much of that endeavor is spent on his PS4 where he regularly tests his skills usually playing MLB The Show, of course. Toman says he likes to design players and admits it usually some version of himself – 6’3” and 215 left-handed hitting 3B/C. He shared sometimes he makes the digital a switch hitter because Tucker has dabbled from both sides he says since age 6, though one will usually find the real version on the left side.

But just like that digital version on the video game, the real Tucker Toman has a high ceiling because of who is supplying the decisions. That would be the very wise, Tucker Toman.