Bennett Skinner, a 6-foot-1, Minnesota Gopher baseball commit from East Ridge High School in Woodbury, Minnesota accepted his offer to play for the Gophers in September. Skinner plays as Short Stop and Second Base on his varsity team. Skinner also plays for the Selects American club team. In Skinner’s sophomore season, East Ridge High School became the 4A state champions, going 18-6 in the 23-24 school year.
GopherHole caught up with Bennett earlier today to learn about his commitment to the Minnesota Gophers and what makes Minnesota special to him!
GopherHole: First off congrats on committing to the Gophers! What does it mean to you to be able to play for your home state?
Bennett Skinner: To me it means a lot; to be able to have my family at my games and I can have my little brother there to watch me play at the next level, and now he has someone to look up to. It means a lot to be able to represent Minnesota.
GopherHole: Is there a certain aspect of Coach McDevitt’s coaching style that drew you to want to play for him?
Bennett Skinner: For sure, I love how the entire coaching staff makes you feel like it’s a home, it’s not just baseball it’s a family. It’s a whole team with all of us having the same goal and wanting the same result, which is to win championships, to win games, and get better every day. He really is a big preacher on that, and he makes every player want to get better.
GopherHole: Coach McDevitt is following a coaching legend, John Anderson after he retired. How do you think the program will be different under a new coach?
Bennett Skinner: I don’t know, I didn’t know coach Anderson before. But I do know that Coach McDevitt is going to make some big strides. It’s going to be something that everyone wants to be a part of, he’s a great coach and a great human. And he will do his best to make the best players and the best team, and that’s why the players want to be a part of it. I think we will be just fine and hopefully better than ever.
GopherHole: Have you always known you’ve wanted to play college baseball?
Bennett Skinner: No, while I was growing up basketball was my sport, and I wanted to do that until I saw my older brother commit to play D1 baseball at LMU and my dad played at University of San Diego. I didn’t really know what it was like until I saw my brother commit and that’s when it really flipped a switch, and I knew that’s what I wanted to pursue.
GopherHole: I was going to ask you, I know your dad played college baseball and now your brother does as well, how has that helped you develop as a baseball player?
Bennett Skinner: My dad and older brother know a lot about baseball and being around them has made my love for the game skyrocket. My dad and my brother are my biggest supporters so having them be a part of the process has really helped me grow and get that feel of what it’s like to play at the next level.
GopherHole: How would you describe yourself as a baseball player?
Bennett Skinner: I think I do a lot of things very well. As a teammate, I try to pride myself as being a good leader. If we are losing a game, winning a game, I always try to be a good leader. On the offensive side I feel like I have strong hitting tools, I am pretty good contact player, but I have that sneaky side of power on the other side. And for defense, wherever you put me I can pretty much play wherever. I am a good fit at any position especially as a short stop and 2nd baseman I feel like I have a very good skillset, and I just got to keep improving.
GopherHole: What are you most excited for when playing for the Gophers?
Bennett Skinner: I most excited to represent my home state. After my first conversation with Coach McDevitt, I knew this was the place, I knew it was a fit, I knew it was a family. I love how its family orientated. I am also super excited to be able to have my family at my games and its super important to me to be able to have that.
GopherHole: You know, you committed early in your junior year, has Minnesota always been your dream school or did you have other top options?
Bennett Skinner: Yeah I did have other options, but I wanted to find a place that was a good fit for me and make it seem that it wasn’t a job to play college baseball, but it was a passion and a love that I could pursue. And Minnesota checked all those boxes for me. I knew pretty early on that this was the place that I wanted play for, and the coaching staff is just amazing. Especially because family is close, and they have a family culture I knew Minnesota was for me.
GopherHole: I know you play varsity basketball as well; how do you balance playing two high level sports?
Bennett Skinner: Yeah so, playing basketball is a time commitment but to balance it is to get up early in the mornings to go lift and dedicating extra time to do defensive work for baseball after practices. It is being able to take care of your body but also being able to still do both at a high level. And to stay consistent with your everyday life and having that dedication and work ethic.
GopherHole: When was the turning point for you when you knew you wanted to push baseball over basketball?
Bennett Skinner: Definitely when I saw my brother commit, I knew it was something that ran in the family. My grandpa played in the Minor leagues, my dad played D1 baseball, and my older brother Luke is currently playing D1 baseball. I knew it was something I wanted to do, but I never really knew what my future was until I realized maybe I do have the skill to play at a high level.
GopherHole: Is there a certain quote or saying you draw motivation from?
Bennett Skinner: I wouldn’t say there’s a certain quote but something I go by every day is “be the best version of yourself” and “get 1% better every day” because everything else will take care of itself if you have that type of work ethic.
GopherHole: Is there anything else you want to say about your recruitment process?
Bennett Skinner: That’s pretty much it, but I will say if you have the opportunity to play at the next level, just find that place that’s the right fit for you and don’t try to go out of your way to go to a place you don’t love. Find a place that makes you happy and makes you want to do it every day. You want to be at a place that you love it and be around people that love it as well.