Conestoga’s Shane McCullen is Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week

The junior pitcher and third baseman is batting close to .500, with 22 hits and 13 RBIs and only 3 strikeouts (as of May 17). As a pitcher, he has compiled a 5-1 record for the Pioneers this spring. Conestoga baseball coach Matt Diamond said, “Shane has been rock steady for us the entire season.  Both on the mound and at the plate, he is calm and focused and carries a quiet confidence that no situation is too big. The success he is having in games is as direct correlation to what he does when no one is watching.  When we do tee work drills, he never puts the ball on the inner half – he only sets up away and works on driving the ball to middle right over and over.  He uses his hands so well in using the entire field, and has made himself into as tough of an out in our league as there is.” Outside of baseball, McCullen is a competitive disc golfer who has won the Philly Open two years in a row (MA1 and MA2) and placed seventh in the Junior Worlds in 2019.

 

Q: What do you think has been the most important thing you’ve learned recently regarding hitting?

 

A: I’ve been focusing on hitting the ball the other way. As a righty, I naturally hit towards left field so, I have been focusing on trying to hit more towards the right side.

 

Q: What do you consider your best pitch? What aspect of pitching are you working on the most?

 

A: My fastball is my best pitch. I’m working on pitching deeper into games and recovering quicker when my arm gets sore.

 

Q: As a pitcher, after facing a hitter a couple of times in a game, you probably have a better idea of what to throw him late in a game. Can you give us an example of how this has worked in your favor?

 

A: Sometimes after an at bat or two, I can figure out if a hitter can’t hit an off-speed pitch or isn’t that strong at hitting a pitch at a certain part of the plate. So I try to target that part of the plate or throw him a pitch I don’t think he can hit. Target their weakness.

 

Q: What aspect of your game did you work on most during the off-season? Tell us a little about your baseball training during this past COVID pandemic year, the biggest challenges you faced as a baseball player, and how you dealt with those challenges.

 

A: I worked on my hitting and strengthening my arm. I spent the off season participating in speed and strength conditioning. COVID posed many challenges, like our Conestoga varsity baseball season being cancelled last year, and limiting our team’s use of indoor facilities this past winter.  I played a few travel tournaments last summer where the home plate umpire actually stood behind the mound which was definitely challenging.

 

Q: Tell us a little about your start in baseball.

A: I have been playing baseball for as long as I can remember. I started at BPALL and when I was nine moved to the All Star Baseball Academy. I began playing for the Pumas (now called the Philadelphia Prime) when I was 10. I love travelling with my team and going to fun tournaments. We played at Cooperstown in New York and Dodgertown in Florida and Cal Ripken in Myrtle Beach.

 

Q: Who have been your biggest baseball mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you about baseball?

 

A: I started playing baseball with my Dad. He taught me to love sports and really enjoy the game. He’s always willing to pitch batting practice to me and he is the assistant coach for the Prime so we get to go to the tournaments together. Coach Mike Rinaldi gave me an opportunity to play for the Pumas/Prime. He takes us to great tournaments and has really helped us become a great team. I like how he focuses on the positives and reminds me to enjoy myself and have fun playing. Jerry Cooper has been my hitting coach for four or five years. I like working with Jerry.  He helps me focus on the basics and ensures I am doing the right thing. Coach Matt Rowley challenges me in BP more than anyone else.  He has taught me a lot about how to stay healthy through training and conditioning. Coach Matt Diamond taught me the importance of being part of a team. I like how he focuses on “doing a job.” He taught me how not to be a selfish hitter. It’s a team game – “Get ’em on, get ’em over, get ’em in.”

Q: Who is your favorite baseball player and why?

 

A: Jimmy Rollins will always be my favorite baseball player because he was the shortstop on the Phillies when I used to watch them every night.

 

Q: What is your favorite ballpark and why?

 

A: PNC Park in Pittsburgh. It’s a beautiful ballpark and my travel team (Philly Prime) got to walk out on the field before a game.

 

Q: You wear uniform jersey No. 4 for Conestoga baseball – was there a reason you chose this number?

A: I’ve worn No. 4 since I was 9 years old.  It is the first number I’ve ever worn for travel baseball and I’ve stuck with it ever since.

 

Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation the day of a game.

 

A: I try to remember to have fun because it is a game. I get focused on the upcoming game. I remind myself that all I can control is my attitude and effort.

 

Q: What do you think you might like to major in at college?

 

A: I would like to major in the sciences, specifically in environmental science.

 

Fun facts – Shane McCullen

Favorite TV show: Psych

Favorite movie: “Anything with Will Ferrell in it.”

Favorite athlete: Simon Lizotte.

Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Seven Nation Army, by the White Stripes.

Favorite team: Villanova basketball.

Favorite place to visit: Smith Mountain Lake.

Favorite pre-game meal: Banana with peanut butter.

Family members: parents Michael and Lyn, sister Ainsley (a senior at Conestoga), dog Penny, cat Cal.

 

(To be selected as Main Line Boys Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by his coach.)