If you get a chance to see him hit, enjoy it as it's likely a short stint. 9 HR, 28 RBI in 28 games. Hitting .299 and a .983 Fielding Percentage as a freshman catcher.
๐๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ข ๐๐จAccording to Trackman, @BrodyDonay blasted this solo homer ๐๐๐' with an exit velocity of ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ก.#Hokies ๐ฆโพ๏ธ pic.twitter.com/pvMRR2ec7kโ Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) May 3, 2023
"๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎ? ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎ, ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐จ๐๐ฎ?" ๐#Hokies ๐ฆโพ๏ธ pic.twitter.com/XUXvK89Nqwโ Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) May 3, 2023
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Yeah enjoy watching Donay cause he gonna be drafted pretty high after next season
520 feet?! Did it land on the track? Is there a runner down?
Nah it was straight center field over the batter's eye. Might have made it's way to the road๐
holy gazoones that's a long home run
Wow. That distance would be a record setter in most MLB parks and that exit velocity would put him top 10 in the MLB this year, but it is a metal bat. I'm not sure what the conversion would be from metal to wood, but that would probably be a top 10 hr this year after conversion (if the numbers are accurate -- not sure the quality of data at English Field).
Still a monster hit anyway you looks at it.
That's a blast of a HR, but I have serious doubts that was 500'+.
Unlike Donay, whoever was working that camera will not be going pro one day.
And just for some history, the MLB 500'+ HR Club is pretty rare company. I'm not doubting Donay's power, but the combination of circumstances it takes to hit a ball that far is quiet low and would have required a near perfect launch angle, proper contact at a precise spot on the barrel, the pitch itself traveling at a specific speed and spin rate, the speed of the swing itself, wind conditions, and humidity of the ball just to name a few. But we'll never know for certain because of the video.
Hammerin Hokies apparently have some work to do as they are a bubble team on the outside at least in this writers mind.
D1 Projections: Hokies Out
Likely means they need to get at least two more wins in ACC Tourney and get some other teams to take losses including the Tar Heels. Losing those last two games to the Heels really hurt.
I think that's being generous. The body of work this season has not been impressive and we have lost a lot of games to teams that are just not good. Pitching this year has been a major problem, and has had a tendency to coincide when the hitting goes cold. Unfortunately I think we are way on the outside looking in, and it's going to take a serious string of wins between now and through the ACC tourney for us to get any kind of consideration.
I think if the team wins the rest of their non conference games. Wins the series against Clemson and Take 1 from Wake and that'll be enough to get in
i wish i had your confidence. I really enjoyed watching the team play into the early summer last year and was hoping to see that again this year.
In the 1970's, before the Football practice facilities, the baseball diamond occupied the space between Lane and Cassell. VT had a catcher named John Van Arnem(sp?) who led the nation in batting average about .500+, 1972,3 ish. I watched him slam a few off the back of Cassell, the high wall above the building extension. Those had to be upper 400's ft at least. Anyone else remember him or know what happened to him? Nice to know we still get long ball hitters in the program.
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That would be well before my time and I had zero idea that was where the baseball field used to be. I did find this which i though was really neat to look at:
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0b0d0b72e09d46fca...
And there it is - Cassell looks to be about 40-50' at its closest point to the LF wall. Just hitting the base of Cassell would have been about a 425-450' HR, so hitting one off the wall would have put it well into the high-400's.
Was still located there in the early 80s too; I remember watching games from "the hill" near the tennis courts with lawn chairs and coolers (my first two student years I lived in Lee so it was a very short walk. (Also remember 'traying' down that hill and breaking my thumb when the try hit a hole and my hand was gripping near the front and snapped forward. Quite painful and-other than a rib or two as I was older-the only bone i ever broke).
John VanArnhem hit .516 in 1971 per Hokiesports. Hit .436 in his two years at Tech. I find no mention of a pro career and not listed on Hokiesports MLB Draft list.
Good info, thanks. And those bats were real wood in those days.
Here is the best picture I could find..depending on the dimensions to left-center, hitting the back of Cassel i.e. above the offices would have to be around 425-430, maybe close 475 to if more towards Center and high off the building.
Also, pretty cool to know this, I never knew the baseball field was located here. I assume they must have setup some temporary fencing for the outfield during the season, as I don't see any clear fencing or boundaries.
There was a high chain fence with dark green tarp along the entire outfield. Hard to see. The baseball team room was on the right-side of the Cassell exterior building. Redd Lard was the charismatic coach.