Summer is in full swing, and for many sports fans in the 49th state, that means plenty of opportunities to go out and watch some baseball.
The Alaska Baseball League features college players from all over the United States. While a few of the players in the league are from Alaska, the majority are from the other 49 states.
This week, the Daily News talked to a few players from the two ABL teams based in Anchorage, starting with the Bucs and wrapping up with the Glacier Pilots. We asked them what they’ve liked about Alaska, what they miss from back home and what else they’re into.
B.J. Rodriguez
Rodriguez is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder from Fresno State University heading into his senior season for the Bulldogs.
Hometown: Tulare, California
Q. What are you most excited to do in Alaska when you aren’t playing baseball?
A. Just hang with the guys. These guys are really cool, we’re having a lot of fun together and I think this is a pretty close group. I plan on going to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
Q. What will you miss most about your hometown while you are in Alaska?
A. Probably my friends in my hometown. Just hanging out with them and playing golf. My parents, obviously, but my friends because I only get to see them a couple days out the year now and I miss them a lot.
Q. Favorite MLB team and player?
A. I’m a (Los Angeles) Dodgers fan. Mookie Betts is my guy. He came to the Dodgers, won us a ring and he’s undersized and does everything for his team, so I really like him a lot, and he plays hard.
Q. What made you want to participate in the ABL?
A. One of our assistants at Fresno is our head coach Skip’s son and they told me it’d be a great opportunity for me and I’m having a lot of fun.
Q. What are your thoughts on being in Alaska for the first time, and what preconceived notions did you have about Alaska before getting here?
A. When I got here it was raining every day and I wasn’t really expecting that. The weather has been a lot better now and hopefully I get to see some wildlife while I’m here. I haven’t seen much yet.
Q. Favorite genre of music?
A. I’ve always listened to rap but I try to listen to everything and broaden my horizons a little bit.
Q. Favorite series to binge watch or best movie you’ve seen in the last calendar year?
A. Probably “Breaking Bad.” It’s really good. I like how well-written it was, it kept me in it for the whole series. For me not to lose interest after two or three seasons, I think it’s a really good show.
Ben Cushnie
He is a left-handed pitcher from the University of Southern California heading into his sophomore season for the Trojans.
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California
Q. What are you most excited to do in Alaska when you aren’t playing baseball?
A. Working out right now is probably my biggest thing for the summer. I gotta get big when I go back to campus. We tried to go fishing once down by Ship Creek but had no luck. The seagulls were catching more fish than we were, so that was kind of annoying. I want to go on a hike, I haven’t done that yet.
Q. What will you miss most about your hometown while you are in Alaska?
A. Just family. I haven’t been missing too much because I’m having a good time down here.
Q. Favorite MLB team and player?
A. I’m a big (Los Angeles) Angels fan. My dad was a big Angels fan from his childhood. I was a (Los Angeles) Dodgers fan for a little bit but then they won the World Series and (I) decided I need a change. You gotta hop off the bandwagon. (New York Yankees’) Max Fried because he’s a left-handed pitcher, I’m a left-handed pitcher, and he’s also a California guy so I look up to him.
Q. What made you want to participate in the ABL?
A. My coaches recommended it to me and I thought it sounded like a cool experience, and I’m having a lot of fun right now.
Q. What are your thoughts on being in Alaska for the first time, and what preconceived notions did you have about Alaska before getting here?
A. I thought it was a lot of just straight wilderness, which it has been, but it’s super nice. The mountains and the trees, I love it.
Q. Favorite genre of music?
A. I’m a big rap. I listen to Drake pregame every time.
Follow-up question: You’re still a Drake fan after a rough 2024 due to his epic beef with Kendrick Lamar?
A. He makes too much good music. I like both of them so you can’t pick a side. I was just vibing to the music and I loved the diss tracks. It was great on both sides.
Q. Favorite series to binge watch or best movie you’ve seen in the last calendar year?
A. I just watched “Jaws” again in the theater. I just started watching “Love Island” and that’s a good show, but my favorite show of all time is “Atlanta.” I finished that show in like, a month because it was so good.
Landon Tiesing
Tiesing is an outfielder from Kent State University heading into his sophomore season for the Golden Flashes.
Hometown: New Albany, Indiana
Q. What are you most excited to do in Alaska when you aren’t playing baseball?
A. I’ve gotten the chance to go hiking once and that was awesome. I went to Thunderbird Falls and I want to go fishing although I know fishing is not good for a couple more weeks, so I’m going to go do that.
Q. What will you miss most about your hometown while you are in Alaska?
A. I don’t really miss home. I don’t really care to go home, this place is awesome. I’ve got some boys back home that I miss and a puppy, but other than that, my family is coming up next week for the Fourth of July.
Q. Favorite MLB team and player?
A. If I go off of location, probably the Cincinnati Reds, but I really watch more college baseball than MLB. Probably (Reds shortstop) Elly De La Cruz because he’s a people’s guy.
Q. What made you want to participate in the ABL?
A. My coach kind of just told me, “You’re going to go to the Alaska League.” It’s a good league with a lot of pro players here, and also it’s Alaska and it’s beautiful out here and the competition is awesome. I’m here to get better.
Q. What are your thoughts on being in Alaska for the first time, and what preconceived notions did you have about Alaska before getting here?
A. People have told me about the mountains, but it is one of those things where you have to experience it to really see it in full effect.
Q. Favorite genre of music?
A. Lately it’s been a lot of country. I feel like it kind of depends on the season. During the spring when it’s nice outside, it’s more country, but I get into rap for pregame stuff.
Q. Favorite series to binge watch or best movie you’ve seen in the last calendar year?
A. I’m watching “Snowfall” right now. I’ve gotten into that and am almost finished with it so I have to go find something else to watch. The whole plot of it and how it gets twisted, it keeps you on your toes.
Zachary Anderson
Anderson is a catcher and utility player who just finished up his sophomore season at Cypress College and is looking for a new home.
Hometown: Temecula, California
Q. What are you most excited to do in Alaska when you aren’t playing baseball?
A. We went golfing once and frisbee golfing once and I thought that was cool. I’d never done that before. I was looking for my frisbee in the woods for quite a bit.
Q. What will you miss most about your hometown while you are in Alaska?
A. Just family, hanging out with friends and going to the beach.
Q. Favorite MLB team and player?
A. The (San Diego) Padres. I’m from close to San Diego. I’ve been to more (Los Angeles) Angels games than Padres games because I went to school close to Los Angeles and Anaheim. I like (Angels outfielder) Mike Trout and (Padres outfielder) Fernando Tatís Jr.
Q. What made you want to participate in the ABL?
A. My college coach said it was a good league up here and I thought it’d be a great opportunity to come out here because I’d probably never come to Alaska again. I thought it’d be really nice to come out here and compete.
Q. What are your thoughts on being in Alaska for the first time, and what preconceived notions did you have about Alaska before getting here?
A. I didn’t think it’d be as cold as it is out here right now. When we first got here, it was 40 degrees and rainy, so that shocked me a lot. I thought it was going to be a solid 75 (degrees).
Q. Favorite genre of music?
A. I listen to all of it pretty much. I don’t have a preference.
Hunter Klotz
Klotz is an infielder from Kent State University heading into his graduate season for the Golden Flashes.
Hometown: Martinsburg, Pennsylvania
Q. What are you most excited to do in Alaska when you aren’t playing baseball?
A. I got to go up to Fairbanks, saw (UAF), got to stay there. We went hiking at Thunderbird Falls last week, we went to Big Lake because Landon’s host family has a house up there. We got to Jet-Ski and go on a boat.
Q. What will you miss most about your hometown while you are in Alaska?
A. I’m a big family guy so I miss my family, but they’re coming up for the Fourth of July. I got a 2-year-old golden retriever at home that stays with me all the time and is my best friend, so I miss him a lot.
Q. Favorite MLB team and player?
A. I’m a Pittsburgh Pirates fan because I was born and raised near Pittsburgh. It’s been a rough couple of years but we’re turning it around. I’m a big (Paul) Skenes fan so hopefully we’ll keep him and give him some money.
Q. What made you want to participate in the ABL?
A. There was an opportunity, I talked to my coaches and I’m a big outdoorsman. I’ve played summer ball around the country before and I thought, “Man, this would be a really good opportunity to come up here and be outdoors.”
Q. What are your thoughts on being in Alaska for the first time, and what preconceived notions did you have about Alaska before getting here?
A. There’s a stereotype that Alaska is all outdoors, moose and bears and that’s about it, but it’s been cool to see.
Q. Favorite genre of music?
A. I’m a big country guy. That’s my thing. I’m an old-school country guy from the ’90s. Being around the clubhouse for four years, I dabble with rap a little bit, not too much, but reggae would be my second favorite. Before a game, I’m a big Nickelback guy or Jason Aldean.
Q. Favorite series to binge watch or best movie you’ve seen in the last calendar year?
A. I just started “Breaking Bad.” A lot of guys told me about it. Honestly, I’m not around the TV too much. My girlfriend and I will get on some shows but there aren’t too many that I’ve finished.
