Cultivating bonds is the key to developing the baseball prospects of today into the stars of tomorrow, according to Eric Duncan.
The Toronto Blue Jays minor league field coordinator believes forging connections with his players is paramount to their success.
Duncan’s philosophy emphasizes that trust between athletes and coaches lays the groundwork for growth during the rough patches many ballplayers experience.
“As staff members, the most important part of our job is building relationships,” said Duncan, in an online interview on Tuesday from Dunedin, Fla. “Building trust so that when the tough times do come, you can be there for them and help them go through it.”
Those trying moments are something that Duncan is no stranger to.
Throughout his decade-plus coaching career, he has worked with numerous hitters at various stages in their playing lives. From young, eager college stars at Seton Hall University to hard-nosed veterans in the majors with the Marlins, Yankees, and Blue Jays; he’s seen it all.
One of those athletes under his purview is Jays’ infield prospect Arjun Nimmala, who was sent down to the Florida Complex League mid-season last year. When Duncan spoke about that period for the young shortstop, he credited the player-coach connection as essential.
“It was really awesome to watch Arjun at such a young age understand, ‘Okay, I’m going to make some adjustments here and I’m going to go after it,’
“But, the relationships that Nash Knight, who was his hitting coach, had built with him, and Craig Perry, the hitting coordinator, had built with him allows that process to happen.”
Duncan understands that these connections provide a foundation for growth, especially in a sport filled with challenges.
“We’re talking about a really hard game,” said Duncan. “And we’re talking about human beings that have a lot of things going on, not just on the field, off the field and real-life stuff.”
Without that personal bond between teacher and student, he warns that even the best advice will fall on deaf ears.
“If the player doesn’t trust you, or if he doesn’t have a relationship with you, he’s not going to hear you.”
