India Post News Service
A left-handed pitcher of Indian descent, let’s get to know more about Rohan Handa. He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and is 21 years old. He is a son of two Indian immigrants and was a ballplayer at Yale University. Rohan was pursuing a major in Political Science and minor in Statistics and Data Science up until a couple of weeks ago, when he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 5th round of the most recent 2021 MLB draft.
Q: Congratulations Rohan on getting recruited in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB draft by SF Giants? Were you expecting it?
A: Thank you so much! I have waited so long for this moment and it would definitely not have been possible without the blessings and guidance of my family, friends and coaches. A lot of professional scouts had come to watch me play in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) in the summer and I had done fairly well. I had a general idea of when I might get picked but with something of this magnitude I couldn’t get comfortable until I actually heard my name be called on the TV. It was a surreal moment and honestly it has just started to sink in. It was great to have my extended family with me when the news was announced.
Q: When did you start playing baseball and how did you develop interest in the game?
A: I have been playing baseball for as long as I can remember and my earliest memories of the game stem from when I was around 4 or 5 years old. Starting from a young age, my parents exposed me and my brother to many different sports and activities, and baseball just seemed to stick with me. Over time, I started to get more and more invested in the sport and my love of the game continued to grow until the sport became one of the key components of my life.
When I was 12 yrs old, I had the opportunity to play in a youth tournament in Cooperstown, NY and got a chance to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. After learning about the history and looking at all the memorabilia of baseball stars like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Hank Aaron, I was truly hooked to “America’s favorite pastime”.
The biggest moment of this journey was when I got the honor to play for the USA National 15u team and win Gold in Pan American games held in Mexico. Playing for your country is a very special feeling.
Q: What else do you like to do when you are not playing baseball?
A: I love listening to music and playing musical instruments. My favorite pastime is playing Viola. My family has always encouraged me to help others and I always look for ways to associate myself with community service organizations and make a difference in someone else’s life. I also like to meditate in my free time.
Q: Growing up, who were your role models?
A: The obvious role models in my life are my parents and grandparents as they have been my biggest supporters since day one. Watching them navigate the different aspects of life with a smile on their face has been a true blessing and has taught me so much. In terms of baseball players, I always used to look up to Derek Jeter. I grew up a Yankees fan and some of the fondest memories from my childhood came from watching Jeter on TV run around the infield making great plays and being a great leader.
Q: Every sport requires a lot of dedication, motivation besides hard work? What kept you going?
A: I would have to say that the support from my family and friends really helped me push myself. I definitely have my own intrinsic motivation but the support from them pushed me to another level.
Q: Rohan, growing as an Indian American did you feel any pressure from the community?
A: I did not feel any pressure from the Indian American community but rather motivation and encouragement. I was the only Indian on almost every one of my teams and the Indian community loved how I was representing them in a different way and they showed support. I am very proud of my heritage and the wonderful community I represent.
Q: You played baseball in high school and later as a Yale recruit in college? How would you say school baseball is different from college level baseball?
A: High school baseball is very different from college baseball as it is much more of a time commitment and the competition is much stronger. In high school, you’re used to being the best player on your team but in college, everybody was the best player on their high school team so there is much more competition. Once you step foot on campus, all of your past accomplishments go out the window and you’re all now on equal footing to fight for who gets the spot on the team.
Q: You have maintained a very rigorous academic course load at Yale along with a full baseball schedule? How did you manage?
A: It was very tough freshman year to learn how to manage my time but once I figured out a schedule and routine that worked for me, it wasn’t so bad. It was challenging, of course, but much more manageable. I would just say it’s all about finding out what routine and tricks work best for each specific person and going from there.
Q: How did the pandemic affect your baseball goals?
A: Entering the pandemic, I hadn’t put myself in the proper position to get drafted, which was my goal. I knew I still had lots of work to get done and the pandemic gave me the extra time to come up with a plan, and execute it to the best of my abilities and that’s what I did.
Q: Having reached the world stage of professional sports, who would you say contributed to your success?
A: Most importantly, my coaches, my friends and family, especially my parents have been my biggest supporters. I honestly don’t know where I would be without them. From a skills improvement and baseball perspective, I would also like to thank two training organizations- Tread Athletics in Charlotte and DST based in Houston. They helped me to identify my shortcomings and put a comprehensive individualized plan to overcome them. My pitching velocity has seen a tremendous jump in the last year and I have added a few secondary pitches to my repertoire.
Q: What are your future goals and aspirations as part of SF Giants?
A: The San Francisco Giants are a great organization and I want to represent them in the best possible way on and off the field so that they are proud of their selection. I want to be the first Indian to make the Major Leagues and to inspire all of the Indian kids out there to let them know anything is possible. I also want to have a long and successful career and hopefully bring a World Series back to the bay.
Q: Rohan, where do you see yourself ten years from now?
A: Ideally I would still be playing but if that isn’t the case, I would love to still be working in baseball in some capacity, maybe in a front office role.
Q: What message would you like to give to all Indian American kids who dream of joining a professional league one day?
A: Never give up. It may sound a cliche but if there’s one thing I’ve learned during this wild journey of mine is that there will be moments where things are going really bad for you and you’ve considered quitting. I am here to tell you that those are the moments that define you. If you choose to quit, you are doing yourself and all of the people who you may potentially inspire a disservice.
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