For junior infielder and pitcher Jackson Koenig, baseball is not just about mastering one role, it is about embracing them all. While most players focus on perfecting one side of the game, Koenig embraces the challenge of mastering both pitching and hitting, keeping up with the physical and mental demands that come with being a two-way player. His ability to impact the game in many ways has made him a valuable player in the Warhawks’ lineup.
“I take pride in being both,” Koenig said. “I take pride in practicing both and making sure that I’m prepared to do whatever the team needs at the end of the day.”
That pride shows in the way Koenig approaches each game, embracing the challenge of contributing both on the mound and in the field. Balancing those responsibilities requires constant adjustment, both physically and mentally, as he shifts between each role throughout the game.
“There’s a lot of pressure being on the mound,” Koenig said. “But locking in for each pitch, that doesn’t really change. The mindset is different depending on where I’m at, but the important stuff stays the same.”
Being a two-way player on any baseball team is not easy, and it is not just about mentality. Head coach John Vodenlich gave high praise to Koenig, saying he is a tremendous player on and off the field and knows how to handle the responsibilities he has been given.
“He handles it pretty darn well. In order to do something like this, you need an elite type of skills and huge commitment. Jackson has that,” Vodenlich said. “He’s a tremendous academic student-athlete who is able to do all the work he needs to do.”
Vodenlich also gave credit to Koenig’s work ethic, saying he is constantly on the field, working twice as hard and always putting in extra effort.
“He’s always done a tremendous job at that,” Vodenlich said. “There are times where we won’t practice that day, but he will as an individual. And with the type of player he is, it takes a lot of internal motivation. It takes a motivated individual and Jackson is exactly that. He spends twice as much time getting prepared and handles that extremely well.”
Koenig has been a high level two-way player since he started playing baseball, and knows the responsibilities and level of commitment it takes to stay in both positions.
“I’ve always done both my whole life, and I’ve always wanted to do both,” Koenig said. “When I got to Whitewater, I was fortunate enough to perform well in my freshman year fall and that gave me the opportunity to be both. I don’t want to give either one up. I like it. I love hitting and I still love pitching.”
Being in Koenig’s roles and maintaining them through a college career takes motivation, time, effort and commitment. Koenig has shown that he has all the skills — and more — to stay where he is.
“He’s extremely committed,” Vodenlich said. “In order to do what he does you need a high commitment level and tons of discipline. He has both. He’s from Minnesota, he’s away from his family and he’s kinda by himself here. He manages and handles it really well, and always works at an elite level. We’re happy to have him on our team.”
Koenig has been able to show how good of a player he is in his past three seasons, showing effort, commitment and discipline on and off the field. He is able to manage the mental load and workload of being a two-way player while still being a positive presence on the team and someone who makes plays happen.
