Stars of the Future, pt. 1: Jeff Natale

This is part one of my interview series "Stars of the Future" where I will speak with some minor leaguers and ask them the hard-hitting questions. Lol. Part One features Jeff Natale, who played at second base last season for the single-A Greenville Drive and was subsequently named the 2006 Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. To learn more about Natale, check out his page on SoxProspects.com here.

Chris Reardon: You were the Red Sox 2006 Minor League Offensive Player of the Year. What does garnering an award like that mean to you and to your future as a ballplayer?

Jeff Natale: Being the offensive player of the year was a huge honor. It was unbelievable to be presented with such a great achievement. Even though all that was great, this year will be a huge year for me. And I'm already looking forward to the challenges ahead.

CR: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?

JN: I’ve answered that question a lot lately for some reason and the answer is Derek Jeter. Even though I wasn't a Yankee fan growing up he was always the most fun exciting player to watch especially during the playoffs. You can tell when a player is special and he's by far the most exciting player to watch.

CR: Did you know when you were in grade school that you would end up playing professional baseball?

JN: Actually I always thought that I would end up playing hockey. Growing up hockey was always my favorite sport and it wasn't until about junior year in college when I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in baseball.

CR:Your Myspace account lists people you’d like to meet as Derek Jeter and Mickey Mantle. There’s no denying the greatness of these players and their impact on the game, but do you find that being a Yankees fan is a conflict of interest while playing in the Red Sox system? Ever get in trouble for it from your teammates?

JN: There isn't much talk about everyone's favorite team in the clubhouse. A lot of guys come from a lot of different places and no one could predict that they'd be drafted by the Red Sox. I think everyone in the clubhouse is a big Red Sox fan now.

CR:Your scouting report on SoxProspects.com claims that you do not project as an adequate defensive second baseman, and that you may be converted to the outfield. How do you respond to the negativity about your defense and do you see yourself at another position in the future? Have you ever played in the outfield before?

JN: I also get that question a lot and the answer is I really dont know about playing another position in the future. At Trinity College, I played left field my freshman year, centerfield my sophomore year, centerfield for half my junior year and 2nd base for half my junior year, then 3rd base my entire senior year. So basically this last season was the first time that I had ever played 2nd base consistently. I think my defense has improved 100% since I signed with the Red Sox and I hope it will continue to get better and better. A lot of playing a position is just being comfortable there, and I dont think I got completely comfortable until the 2nd half of the season.

CR:As a minor leaguer, there must be a lot of pressure looking up at the major leaguers and at all the talent ahead of you on the depth chart. How do you handle this pressure?

JN: There’s a huge amount of pressure in any job that your going to have so I guess the answer is Yes. The Red Sox in particular have such a great reputation of putting the best talent on the field each year so its difficult to look at the people ahead of me all the time. I try to concentrate on the things I can control (i.e. my plate appearance, my work ethic, my defense) rather than things I can't control.

CR:How do you feel about Dustin Pedroia playing second base for the Red Sox in 2007? Is he or are you the second baseman of the future?

JN: Dustin is a great player with tons of talent. I'm excited to see him compete at the major league level. I hope that he's going to play very well this year and we’ll see about the future.

CR:What are the Red Sox chances this year? Would you be willing to pick them over the Yankees?

JN: The Red Sox chances are great this year. Anytime you have a pitching staff like they do this year, your going to be really competitive. The offense is going to continue to contribute with guys like manny, DO [David Ortiz], and Varitek in the line-up. As far as the Yankees, they are also a great squad with a ton of depth but their pitching will be a big issue for them this year. I'd be willing to bet on the Red Sox this year.

I want to thank Jeff Natale for all his cooperation. Keep an eye out for more interviews in the future!