Whether its a Saturday start on the mound or any other day batting in the top of the order one multi-talented sophomore baseball player finds a way to compete on the baseball diamond in multiple ways.
For A&M head coach Rob Childress, Daniel Mengden provides a key component in his baseball programs machine. His versatility and skill allow him to find a place anywhere on the field, with his best fit being on the mound in a tough weekend placement the Saturday start.
The best way to describe [Mengden] is a baseball player, Childress said. He loves to be on the field and there’s probably not a position that he couldn’t play. He’s an outstanding catch-and-throw guy behind the plate, a good defender in the outfield and obviously has as much power as anyone we have [at pitcher]. We’re just trying to use his talents to help this team.
Recruited out of Houston, Texas, Mengden led his hometown high school baseball team to four consecutive playoff appearances while racking up three District 20-5A MVP titles and a spot as an Aflac All-American.
Once he arrived at A&M, Mengden was able to contribute immediately, filling in as the primary closer for the Aggies. Two saves into the season, Childress moved him into the Tuesday starting role, a position he thrived at. He closed the season with a 3-4 record, three saves and a 3.83 earned run average.
During an away matchup with Oklahoma State last year, the freshman came into his own element. With A&M down 4-2 in the top of the ninth inning and two runners on base, Mengden hit a home run, allowing the Aggies the 5-4 lead. He then took over in the bottom of the inning on the mound, striking out three batters to earn the save.
Mengden said the opportunity to compete for A&M as both a hitter and a pitcher is an honor.
You know, it’s just a privilege what coach Childress allows me to do for the team, Mengden said. I’m privileged being able to do both by being a Saturday starter, then getting an opportunity to play right field and being able to hit [as a designated hitter].
Mengdens aggressive style on the mound shows his certainty in his teammates defensive capabilities, said junior catcher Troy Stein.
He’s only a sophomore this year and he’s a great, powerful guy and he pitches with a lot of confidence out there, Stein said. He has a lot of confidence in himself and he has a lot of confidence in his teammates. He’s going to throw it over the plate. He’s not going to walk anybody. [Mengden]’s a guy that’ll throw it over the zone and rely on his defense to make plays.
From Mengdens perspective, his versatile nature on the mound and at the plate originates from the same assertive style.
I try to approach it the same, Mengden said. Hitting and pitching are kind of the same, in a way, if you look at it from a mechanical standpoint. It’s just changing the mindset. When I’m a hitter, Im really aggressive. Other times, I’m still aggressive as a pitcher, just under a little more control.
Mengdens aggressive nature has shined through in both his pitching and hitting. From a hitting perspective, it has earned him a .288 batting average, good for fourth on the team, with 19 hits, 10 RBIs and one home run. His style of hitting also has a downside, coming in the form of a team-leading 18 strikeouts.
On the mound, he throws strong pitches over the plate consistently, forcing batters to attack his throws. As the Saturday starter, Mengden has compiled a 4-1 record with a 1.79 ERA and 34 strikeouts, all team-bests for starters.
Among his teammates, Mengden has earned a reputation for being an all-around baseball player. According to Stein, Mengden enjoys being able to play both sides of the pitching battle.
I think he loves it, Stein said. He loves being out there in the mound, he loves being that starter we can go to, to get outs but he also loves hitting. He’s a competitive guy, he’s going to go out there and compete in whatever he’s doing. He does a good job in [everything he does].