INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs recently caught up with Eric Stout, a 2014 BU alum who is currently a left-handed relief pitcher for the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals, Triple-A). Stout took some time off from his busy schedule to answer some questions for fans… Enjoy!
 
Do you still keep in touch with your teammates from Butler?
Yeah of course! I keep in touch with a lot of them. A few more than others but those guys are my brothers. The best part about playing a college sport is that you're automatically in a brotherhood with 30-35 guys the day you step on campus. You're with them every day for hours on and off the field and I couldn't imagine my life without them. I had the time of my life the three years I was at Butler and I got to build some really great relationships during that time. A few guys (Michael Fries, Jack Dillon, Austin Miller, Kyle Allen) even came to Phoenix this past March to catch me during Spring Training.
 
In the offseason I always try to make it back to Indianapolis for the Crossroads Classic because it is always a huge reunion. Over the last three years, I've also spent the offseason living and training with Radley Haddad (former teammate at Butler for two years and now the big league bullpen catcher for the New York Yankees) in Jupiter, Florida. He's like an older brother to me. Incredibly hard-working guy who's been a mentor to me throughout my career at Butler and as a Royal.
 
What were your thoughts on Butler's 2017 season?
The culture of Butler Baseball is definitely starting to change, that's for sure. I haven't had a chance to meet the new staff, but I've heard really great things about them from some of the current players. It was awesome to see them have a lot of success this past year. BIG EAST baseball is no joke, but I'm looking forward and expect them to play some post-season baseball here in the upcoming years.
 
You've worked your way through the Royals minor league system, what's the journey been like so far?
It's been quite the rollercoaster ride. People aren't joking when they say Minor League Baseball is a grind. I've battled injuries, spent a lot of time on buses and planes, been away from family and friends for months at a time, and have eaten a lot of PB&Js! I've really enjoyed every second of it though. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm trying to take advantage of it.
 
Minor League Baseball is very repetitive and you have to get in a routine so you don't drive yourself crazy. I basically do the same thing every day depending if we are at home or on the road. I usually sleep until 10-10:30am, get breakfast at the same diner (shout out to Jimmy's Egg in Omaha! Best Farmers Skillet in the country!!), head to the stadium around 12-1pm, get a quick lift in depending on my pitching schedule, and get ready to play a game at 7pm. Call it a night around midnight and do it all over again the next day. It's a long season so sticking to a routine helps me get through the days.
 
Baseball has taken me to a lot of places. My college experience was a little hectic to say the least. My freshman recruiting class consisted of Kyle Allen, Michael Fries, Austin Miller, and myself. We played in the Horizon League our freshman year, then moved to the Atlantic 10 my sophomore season, and finally the BIG EAST our junior year. We traveled to a lot of different places those three years and the travel was incredibly difficult to juggle with our school work. But that was just the beginning of my travels.
 
Once I got to pro ball, I started my career in Idaho Falls, Idaho (Rookie Ball 2014), then Lexington, Kentucky (Low A 2015), Springdale, Arkansas (AA 2016), and now Omaha, Nebraska (AAA). I've been to places I've never heard of and places I never would have been too in my life if it wasn't for baseball. It's a really cool experience to travel from coast to coast just to play baseball and I'm incredibly blessed to have this opportunity.
 
You performed very well in Major League Spring Training with the Royals. How different was that experience compared to minor league camp and what did you learn?
I was very fortunate to get invited to my first Major League Spring Training this past February. Honestly, it is a completely different experience compared to spring training on the minor league side. When I arrived for Major League Camp I didn't really know what to expect. I just wanted to go in with open eyes and an open mind.
 
You have to deal with a lot more variables during Major League Camp compared to Minor League Camp. I noticed you have a lot more eyes on you at all times. There was definitely a lot more media personal, interviews, and fans than I've been used to compared to my minor league career. Throwing bullpens and doing PFP's (pitcher fielding plays) in front of the GM Dayton Moore, Manager Ned Yost, and Pitching Coach, Dave Eiland definitely adds a little more pressure!
 
Overall, I tried to be a sponge and adsorb all the information I could. It was a really awesome experience learning and talking with the veterans about the game. I learned things about composure and dealing with adversity, how to read hitters swings, and personal stuff about my pitches and mechanics. Once we got into games I just went out there and tried to compete and not really worry about who I was facing. I was just trying to do what got me there and I saw a little bit of success. It was an incredible experience and I'm doing my best to carry over what I learned from the veterans and the coaching staff and apply it to my game every day this season.
 
Where do you spend the offseason and what is your training schedule like?
I usually head back to Chicago for the beginning of the offseason. I'm gone and away from my family and friends for a very long time so it's always nice to come home and spend some time with the family. Once it starts getting really cold and my throwing program ramps up (usually January 1st) I head down to Jupiter, Florida with Radley Haddad. We've been going to Jupiter for the past couple years and training at Cressey Sports Performance with Eric Cressey and Brian Kaplan.
 
I was originally introduced to EC during my winter break of my sophomore year at Butler when Radley, Brad Schnitzer, and I went to Boston, Massachusetts for four weeks and began training with him (Cressey Sports Performance now has two locations: Hudson, Massachusetts and Jupiter, Florida). EC created a very unique atmosphere with a lot of athletes ranging from high school to major league players. It was incredible so see so many guys in the gym together all working towards the same goal. I haven't looked back and have been doing the strength/throwing programs ever since. I definitely wouldn't be where I'm at in my career if it wasn't for Cressey Sports Performance.
 
Training in the offseason and during the season are completely different. The offseason for me is about gaining weight and strength so I typically weight train four times a week and have two mobility days in-between. During the season it's about maintaining my weight and strength. The last thing you want to do is to get hurt in the weight room during the season so it's usually quicker, lighter workouts and only 2-3 times a week.
 
Have you met any current or former major league players that blew you away?
Yes, one of the most unique individuals I've ever met is Royals Hall of Famer and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, George Brett. He always speaks to the players during spring training and tells us about what it takes to become a major leaguer and how to play with passion and fire. His stories are absolutely incredible and if you don't know who George Brett is I highly recommend you YouTube him!
 
From an on the field standpoint I've pitched against a lot of guys with big league time, especially this year in AAA. One guy who is a very tough out for me is Cody Bellinger. He is a pretty incredible rookie on the Dodgers and I've faced him plenty of times throughout my career. He always puts together some pretty solid at-bats.
 
Eric Stout Timeline
Stout's professional career began in 2014 as a member of the Idaho Falls Chukars. He went 5-2 on the mound that year with a 3.58 ERA. Stout played in 13 games and tossed 32.2 innings of work.
 
The Butler alum wore four different jerseys during the 2015 season representing the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Lexington Legends, AZL Royals and again the Idaho Falls Chukars. He appeared in 20 games during the 2015 campaign, tossing 40 full innings of baseball.
 
Stout spent his entire 2016 season playing Double-A baseball in the Texas League for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He went 6-4 in 2016 with a 3.86 ERA. The lefty appeared in 42 games, throwing over 72 innings for the Naturals. He held the opposition to a .255 average and struck out 69 batters over his 72 innings.
 
So far in 2017, Stout has 21 games under his belt out of the bullpen for the Omaha Storm Chasers. Omaha plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliates of the Kansas City Royals. Stout is 3-0 over the first 21 games of the season and currently holds a 2.67 ERA. He has 25 strikeouts in 34 innings of action.
 
A native of Glen Elyn, Ill., Stout left Butler after being selected in Round 13 of the 2014 MLB Draft by Kansas City. He left campus with 14 wins and 159 strikeouts over a three-year career.