The RoundHouse | 1/26/2024 9:04:00 AM
By Paul Suellentrop
Painful, as well as necessary and helpful is how
Jaden Gustafson describes his first at-bat in college.
"I was put in a lot of situations that were built to help me grow," he said. "I struck out on three pitches, and I realized how rushed I was and how excited and how I couldn't calm my nerves."
A year later, Gustafson is ready to take his first at-bats of his sophomore season with more confidence and more experience. As a freshman, he pinch-hit in the ninth inning at Long Beach State with the Shockers up 5-4, two outs, and a runner on second base. He struck out swinging and the Shockers lost 6-5.
"I thought I was fine," he said. "As soon as I got in the box, my eyes were bouncing up and down. My heart rate is going 100 mph. It was a hard moment. I learned from that."
The Shockers begin full practices on Friday with new coach
Brian Green. His observation is that Gustafson, an outfielder from Maize High, indeed learned from 2023 and is prepared to grab a prominent role.
"I think he's turning himself into a prospect," Green said. "He's changed his swing. His balance is different. He is a guy we expect to have a very big season."
Gustafson played in 28 games last season, starting 13, and hit .255 with eight runs and seven driven in. He finished by going 10 for 31 (.323) over his final 14 games. His progress continued in the summer with the Hutchinson Monarchs on the way to the NBC World Series title.
Jaden Gustafson
Green and his coaching staff didn't look at video for the Shocker returners. They wanted to start fall practices with a clean slate and give them time before diving into changes.
"When we get to November and we've got a little bit more of a relationship with the guys, you feel like trust is built up a little bit more, it's 'Here's what you need to do,'" Green said. "I think it's paying off. We made big strides."
Gustafson straightened up his posture and he flattened his swing with the aim of limiting strikeouts and hitting line drives. Over the holiday break, each Shocker took home three drills to work on off a tee.
"Mine was all about extension in my launch position and keeping my posture upright," he said. "It gives me more of an opportunity to hit that inside pitch."
Shocker coaches are happy to see home runs, but they don't want to make upper-cuts and launch angles too much of an emphasis. Gustafson spends time with video and considers himself a visual learner. His sessions with Green and assistant
Anthony Miller help him with his posture, his stance and his hands.
"We don't want to be one-dimensional," Green said. "The old-school piece of us is that balance. Be flat at the top of the zone, because that's where everybody is working right now, and when it's at the bottom swing up."
Gustafson saw his work pay off during a fall scrimmage at Dallas Baptist in which he doubled and walked as part of a 1-for-3 day.
"Every pitch adjustment, I felt like I knew what was coming and I felt like I knew what I could hit," he said. "That game gave me a lot of confidence, because they're a great program. Every arm that came out I think I was able to compete with."
As he starts his sophomore season, Gustafson can lean on last season's experience. Former Shocker
Chuck Ingram, also an outfielder, helped him understand how to stay calm.
"Just having your breath is a really big part of it," Gustafson said. "When your heart rate is up, when you have a lot of anxiety going on, you've just got to breath and remember it's the same game you've always played."
It's the same game, but the Shockers are counting on a different Gustafson to help launch the new look for the program.
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
