Follow Friday Q&A with Mason Millett

This is the 12th 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 Mason Millett, a right-handed pitcher who most recently played at Pima Community College.

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

Q: What made you choose Arizona?
A: It's the school that I've wanted to play at since I was a kid. When I found my new love for the game of baseball I set a goal for myself to play at Arizona.

Q: What are you looking forward to the most in your first year at Arizona?
A: Pretty much three things — bonding with the team, growing as an individual, and of course competing for a National Championship.

Q: What achievement from your baseball career so far are you most proud of?
A: Definitely accomplishing the goal that I set for myself when I picked up a baseball again to play at the University of Arizona. For sure that's the greatest accomplishment I've had.

Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game?
A: My ability to play every game as if it was my last one. Every day I go out there to compete and leave it all out on the field.

Q: Who influenced you to get into baseball?
A: I have been playing since I was a kid, but more importantly I've been through a lot the last three years, even stepping away from the game. But watching my girlfriend go through a career-ending injury in softball really kind of resonated with me. That helped me form a new love for baseball.

Q: What led you to step away from baseball and what brought you back?
A: I attended Gonzaga my freshman year and when I was there, not because of the program, but baseball just stopped being fun for me; I didn't really have a reason why I played. So I left and went to live with my girlfriend and her family, which was great. Then my girlfriend and I moved down here. She had a career-ending injury her freshman year of college, and seeing her go through that it hit me that I love baseball and gave me a whole new level of motivation.

Q: If you weren't playing baseball, what sport would you most want to play?
A: It would probably be basketball. I really enjoy the competitiveness of it. It's very one-on-one, me-versus-you, and it's a lot of fun. I didn't play in high school, but all my good friends did play in high school and I play with them a lot. I kind of wish I did play in high school!

Q: If you could have one MLB player's skill, what would it be?
A: I would want Mike Trout's consistency on the field. I think that's an important skill because consistency is learned through work ethic and putting in the effort every single day. Baseball is a game of ups and downs, so if you can find the drive and the competitiveness to try and get better every single day then those consistent results will come.

Q: If you could face one Major League Baseball player right now, who would it be and why?
A: That would be Mike Trout again. He's the best player in the game right now, one of the best of all-time. I want to see what I've got against him.

Q: What are some of your non-baseball hobbies you enjoy spending free time on?
A: I watch a lot of sports, I'm a big sports guy. I also watch a lot of movies. Outside of that, I like the spend time outdoors. Hiking, heading north to go camping, anything to get outside, especially during the whole quarantine thing.

Q: What does your pregame/gameday routine look like?
A: When I wake up the first thing is getting a good meal for breakfast. Then I'll always do a small workout a couple hours before I pitch, just to get the blood flowing and it makes me feel better. When I show up to the field I'm always sure to put some good time in with visualization exercises. It really just focuses you and gets you ready for the actual game. The more things you can keep the same, the more your results are going to be consistent.
Quick Hits:
Favorite baseball player: Roy Halladay
Favorite MLB team: Arizona Diamondbacks
Favorite baseball movie: Moneyball
Favorite gameday snack: Peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich
Favorite TV show: Celebrity Apprentice
Favorite movie: Interstellar