Dodgers: Interview with Dodger draftee Logan White Jr.

With their 39th round pick in the 2017 draft, the Dodgers drafted Logan White Jr.  If the name sounds familiar, it should as Logan White Sr. worked with the Dodgers for 13 years.  He was part of the crew that drafted Clayton Kershaw, among others, along with signing talented international players.

Dodgers Way was very fortunate to land an interview with Logan White Jr.  Given that Logan spent many years around the Dodger clubhouse, we had some questions about his favorite player, interactions with Dodger players, and what it was like growing up as a player with his father in such a prominent Major League role.

What was your first reaction to being drafted by the Dodgers? Did your Dad give you a hard time since he’s with the Padres now?

Are there any players on the Dodgers you have a friendship with from hanging around the team?

“I have spent time with quite a few of the guys but I am closest with Kenley and Yasiel. Kenley is like a big brother to me and I can’t count the times me and him went to go get frozen yogurt. I also remember playing FIFA with Yasiel when he first got to the states.”

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Growing up who was your favorite Dodger player?

“Growing up, picking a favorite player was like picking a favorite sibling. When I was asked who my favorite player was I’d just say anyone my dad drafted and signed.”

Was there a Dodger player who you emulated your game after?

“The Dodger player I emulated my game after was Russ Martin. I got the privilege to see Russ grow from a minor league catcher to an All-star catcher. The thing I tried to emulate most about Russ was his relentless work ethic and his fearless demeanor behind the plate. I also admired AJ Ellis for being a lower round draft pick and working to become a really good big league catcher.”

Do you feel your Dad, being in the position he’s in, has put more pressure on you to succeed?

“I absolutely have felt more pressure to succeed with my dad being in the positions he has. Being around pro ball you are expected to be ahead of everyone else around you. This expectation, however, I looked at as a blessing. It fueled me to work harder in order to meet those expectations. That being said my dad’s positions allowed me to grow up around guys like James Loney, Matt Kemp, Tommy Lasorda, and others which has been a huge blessing in my life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

At what point did you feel you had a legit shot at being drafted?  

“I started to feel I had a legit shot at being drafted when I started to get questionnaires from different teams. I got my first one early last summer from the Mets after the perfect game national showcase and it all suddenly became real.”

What do you feel your biggest strength and weakness as a player is?

“I feel my biggest strength as a player is my ability to constantly put the bat on the ball and my baseball IQ. The things I need to improve most are my arm strength and continue to get bigger and stronger.”

Next: Draft Steals and their Player Comps

Dodgers Way is very thankful for the time Logan White Jr took to answer our questions.  Make sure you follow him on twitter (@_Logan_White_Jr) and congratulate Logan on becoming a Dodger. Best of luck Logan!