May 7 — Tyler Tolve

Columbus Clingstones broadcaster Jack Johnson visited with catcher Tyler Tolve at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. 

Tolve discussed his three-run double that helped fuel a six-run comeback the previous night, his time at Kennesaw State and connection with Clingstones strength and conditioning coach Mike Wall, his transition from the outfield to catcher, the advice he would give to his younger self, and which pitcher has stood out most during his return to the Double-A level.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Back on the Columbus Klingstones pregame show, game three of six tonight from Keysler Federal Park. Happy to be joined by Tyler Tolvey, who tied up last night's game with a three-run double in the top of the third. That was your first game into the lineup with the Klingstones in a couple weeks. But you instantly jump in and produce with a game-tying swing. The Stones were down 6-0 early, and after your double, it was tied in the top of the third. What was that game like to go down that early and to come all the way back to win it from your perspective?

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Yeah, games like that are roller coasters. So you go down early, obviously. Not the best start, not the start that we imagined, but it's baseball, it happens, and having the eight innings to battle back is a great opportunity. So we just chipped away and had the opportunity to tie the game there and we got it done.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Like I mentioned, to go a few weeks without an at-bat in this particular lineup, in this particular league, to jump right in and produce like you did last night, that just doesn't happen by coincidence. What were the things you were doing to keep yourself ready for that moment?

SPEAKER_00 1:01

Yeah, regardless of whether or not you're in the lineup, you show every day as it show up every day as if you're ready to play. So you went to Kennesaw State.

SPEAKER_01 1:15

You were there with Mike Wall, who's the strength coach here in Columbus. What is it like to be reunited with some people a few years later, like in Mike's case, now that he's the strength coordinator here?

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Yeah, Mike Wall and I have gone way back. Obviously, we started working together the summer of 2018 into the fall of 2019. We spent three years together over uh college at Kennesaw State. I had a great time developed physically and blessed that I get to continue to do the same thing here seven, eight years later.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Was there any consideration about going somewhere other than KSU or anywhere outside of the state of Georgia? Because you're a Georgia native, you go to KSU, now you play for a Georgia-based minor league team. Any consideration about going outside state lines for college?

SPEAKER_00 1:58

No, not really. I grew up going to Kennesaw State Games. My uncle pitched there from 2007 to 2010 before he was drafted. So when I was younger, like third to fifth grade, I was going to some baseball games there, fell in love with it there, and it was the first place that offered me, and I didn't really want to look anywhere else. So it was never really another option to go play somewhere else other than Kennesaw State.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

So you were also an outfielder there at KSU. When did catching kind of become the ultimate path for you in Pro Bowl?

SPEAKER_00 2:25

In professional baseball, it's always been the path. Ever since I got drafted, it was as a catcher. But in high school growing up, I played everywhere all over the field. In college, it was mainly outfield and catching, and I've kind of just narrowed my playing time opportunity down to catching from high school to college and then to professional baseball. Is there any particular position that you grew up playing that you miss now at this level? I definitely miss playing outfield. It was such a fun time to be out there. It wasn't necessarily a day off compared to catching, but it was a lot more easy in regard to the preparation and being in every single play. It's a little bit of like a blow on the legs when you're catching every single day, so being in the outfield is a little bit easier.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

So, growing up in Georgia, a fan of the Atlanta Braves, now to spend all these years in the Atlanta Braves organization, what was the game that is the most memorable that you attended growing up for the Braves?

SPEAKER_00 3:20

Yeah, the Lord's really blessed me with the opportunity to play in the home state of Georgia that I grew up in. My favorite game definitely would be the 2022 NLCS. I was there watching the Braves play the Dodgers before I went down to strength camp. I had just been drafted, was home for a few weeks with my college roommates. We all went to that game, watched it from the fourth deck. It was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

So, catching in your pro career, what do you feel like are the things that you would go back and tell yourself from the moment you were drafted about what you've learned about this position?

SPEAKER_00 3:53

To enjoy every moment and that every single pitch has the same opportunity to win or lose, either strike or a ball, or help your team win or lose. There's no pitch that can be taken off. Catching is such a unique position because you're in every single play no matter what. So the advice that I would give to myself and the younger catchers was that to be 100% committed to every single pitch.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

Working with this pitching staff here in Columbus, is there anyone that stood out to you so far that you hadn't gotten to see before this year about their stuff or the way they go about their game?

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Vargas would be the one that sticks out to me. He's been unbelievable this year. I hadn't spent too much time around him in the past years playing, but he's been a true professional. He warms up, prepares himself every day very well, and he's been lights out on the mound.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

So returning here to Biloxi, Mississippi. This is a place where you've played over the years in double A. Playing for the Columbus Klingstones now in their second year of operation. You got to spend some time at Trustmark Park in Mississippi. What have you thought about playing in Columbus so far?

SPEAKER_00 5:01

Yeah, what an unbelievable town and facility. It's a big league clubhouse, big league locker room, the training staff and training rooms unbelievable. Every part of it is just as big league as it gets. Tyler, thanks for taking the time, man. Absolutely. Thank you.