Not Your Every Day Second Baseman

Ask a baseball fan to describe a second baseman, and he'll probably present this profile (otherwise known as the 'Jerry Remy' archetype):

"Speedy guy--good glove, light hitter--will bunt his way on base if the opportunity presents itself."

Then introduce him to Harvard Co-Captain, Jim Mrowka, and watch his mouth drop open.

This Kirkland senior is not a typical second baseman.

Admittedly, he's fast and a fine fielder. (Mrowka stole eight bases and registered 89 put-outs last season.)

But a light hitter? Not a chance.

On a Crimson squad loaded with offensive firepower, Mrowka stands out as an unusually gifted batter.

Record Hitter

Last year Mrowka led the team with a phenomenal .423 batting average, and drilled more hits in a season (63) than any other player in Harvard baseball history.

He also set the single-season record for doubles with 19, and wielded an impressive .570 slugging percentage, while driving in 27 runs.

These numbers are the culmination of steady improvement over the years.

As a freshman, Mrowka hit a modest .202, but climbed to .305 the next year. Last season, he shined, and was named to First-Team All-EIBL for his performance.

Mrowka attributes his achievement to good coaching and hard work over the summer in the Cape Cod League--the same league in which a young Carl Yaztremski used to play to improve his game.

"I just tried to learn as much as I could about hitting from coaches and people I played with during the summer and my three older brothers who are pretty knowledgeable," Mrowka says. "Then I worked hard to improve my stroke."

Upgrade

Now Mrowka is looking to upgrade his power.

"I'm trying to involve my legs more in my swing and drive the ball a little harder. Hopefully, I'll hit a few more homers this season," he says.

Mrowka describes himself as a hitter who likes to "spray the ball to all fields" and hammer it into the alleys for doubles and the occasional home run.

Switch Hitter

As a switch hitter, he punishes pitchers from both sides of the plate.

"Left-handed, I like the low inside fastball. Right-handed, probably something a little higher and out over the plate more," Mrowka says.

Either way, Mrowka loves to hit.

"I just like the satisfaction of driving the ball hard. It's quite a feeling," Mrowka says.

With a team batting average of .351, it seems everyone on the Crimson loves to hit--and that means runs.

"We have great talent and everybody is a year older and a year better," Mrowka says.

"A lot of guys played in good summer leagues and that should help because you play against better competition and you can only improve," he says.

If Harvard improves as Mrowka has, get ready for stellar season.