Jake Downing Keeping Cool Head With Duluth Huskies
Youngest player on Huskies roster
DULUTH, Minn.- As the only 2024 high school graduate on the Duluth Huskies’ roster, Jake Downing has done some on-the-fly adapting in the last month and a half.
“Definitely a slow start, kind of just getting adjusted to everything,” says Downing, 18. “The faster pace of the game, the bigger guys, kind of learning as much as I can in a short span of time. And just making adjustments every single day.”
But with his college career at Division I Cal Poly on the horizon, a summer with the Huskies seemed like the ideal baseball bootcamp.
“I mean, I couldn’t turn it down,” Downing says Huskies Field Manager Marcus Pointer coaches at a community college in the spring near his hometown in California, which sparked his interest in playing for the Huskies. “I don’t think there’s anything like it, especially just graduating high school going into my freshman year of college. I mean, it’s just a perfect opportunity for me.”
So far, Downing’s been able to keep up with his older teammates and opponents, solidifying himself as the Huskies’ starting second baseman. Unlike most players his age, he’s taken a holistic approach towards improving his game through meditation.
“(It) definitely helps me slow the game down,” says Downing. “So even before in the on-deck circle, and when I’m in the hole, (I’m) just closing my eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths, slowing the heart rate down and just visualizing success and hitting the ball hard all over the field.”
His mind-over-matter method has also effectively blocked out any unwanted distractions. “Playing in atmospheres like this,” said Downing as he looked over Wade Stadium, “In front of all these people, is new to me. So, (I’m) kind of just tuning that out and focusing on the game at hand.”
With the Northwoods League season winding down, Downing knows his time in Duluth is almost over. However, he intends to use the time he has left to prepare himself for a new start in his home state of California.
“(I want to) just kind of absorb and learn as much as I can every single day and just you know, give 100% of what I got every day to become the best player I can before I get to Cal Poly this this year. (I’m) kind of just trusting myself and know that I’m supposed to be here and building up some confidence and just putting together good at bats and trust in what I got.”
