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Follow Friday Q&A with Chase Silseth

Oct 1, 2020

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This is the 10th installment of the Arizona Baseball 2020 Follow Friday series, in which we highlight each member of the incoming 2020 class of student-athletes looking to make their mark at Hi Corbett Field. Get to know our newest Wildcats with the below Q&A, and when you're done be sure to follow them on social media to stay connected.

This week's feature focuses on incoming sophomore Chase Silseth, a right-handed pitcher from the College of Southern Nevada.

Previous editions of Follow Friday: Jacob Berry  |  Kyle Casper  |  Chase Davis  |  Riley Cooper  |  Daniel Susac  |  TJ Nichols  |  Austin Smith  |  TJ Curd  |  Ryan Kysar
 

Q: What made you choose Arizona?
A: I chose Arizona because I felt like the atmosphere here with the players and the coaches seemed like a great learning environment. It felt like a place where I could get better at the game while also helping the team compete. 

Q: What are you looking forward to the most in your first year at Arizona?
A: I'm looking forward to competing and just having fun on the field. 

Q: What achievement from your baseball career so far are you most proud of?
A: Last year, when I threw a combined perfect game with a teammate. That feeling was awesome. 

Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game?
A: I think the strongest part of my game is my pitch command; I can throw four pitches for a strike. I take a lot of pride in pitch command, because being able to get four pitches across the plate for strikes is a big advantage.

Q: Who influenced you to get into baseball?
A: My older brother. I grew up watching him play baseball from age one through three and then I finally started playing myself when I was four. I always followed in his footsteps; he ended up playing Division I baseball at Utah.

Q: If you weren't playing baseball, what sport would you most want to play?
A: I would want to play football, I'm very interested in it. I played football growing up all the way through middle school but by that point everyone was bigger than me. The growth spurts hit me late, so I never reached my full potential but I still enjoyed playing it. I would want to be a quarterback, because I have a great arm.

Q: If you could have one MLB player's pitch, what would it be?
A: Jacob deGrom's slider. Being able to command that pitch, coupled with how hard he throws it at 92-94 MPH, it's almost unhittable if he puts it in the right spot.

Q: If you could face one Major League Baseball player right now, who would it be and why?
A: I want to face Mike Trout because he's a legend. He's probably the best in the game right now and it just would be really cool to face him right now with his explosive ability and his gameplay. I'm confident in my pitches, I think I could get him out.

Q: What are some of your non-baseball hobbies you enjoy spending free time on?
A: I like to hike a lot, whenever I get the chance. I really like the outdoors, and I enjoy hunting when I can. Beyond that, I just enjoy being social, hanging out with the guys.

Q: What does your pregame/gameday routine look like?
A: My gameday routine always starts the night before, making sure you get a good dinner before you go to bed, drinking some water, and getting a good night's sleep because you need that good energy for the next day. After I wake up I'll get a good breakfast; some eggs with good protein in there like turkey or chicken breast, some spinach, throw in some carbs and some fruit. From there I just try my best to stay locked in, I'll go through things in my mind and think about how I want my pitches to look later that day. 
Quick Hits:
Favorite baseball player: Jacob deGrom
Favorite MLB team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite baseball movie: Moneyball
Favorite gameday snack: Assorted nuts (peanuts, almonds)
Favorite TV show: Shooter
Favorite movie: Avengers: Endgame