When Cyclones outfielder Will Vogl comes to bat, everyone takes notice.
It’s not because he’s one of the hottest hitters on the team, hitting .314 with 13 RBI and eight stolen bases this season, it’s because the song that plays on his way to the plate is so damn good.
Vogl looks invincible as he walks confidently to the plate as “Animal,” by Three Days Grace, blares through the Keyspan Park speakers. He claims the song helps him embrace his darker side.
Not that it was by choice.
“I got the song from a PA announcer in Hagerstown last season,” said the 23-year old, Pacifica, California native. “The first time I heard it, I thought that it was a sick intro, so I just stuck with it. I like it a lot.”
Just like the protagonist in the song, the St. John’s product has transformed into a different type of animal, going from a free-swinging power hitter to a contact hitter with speed. But unlike the song, Vogl is happy with the animal he’s become: “The song totally suits me. I’m not hitting too bad either.”
The Cyclones coaching staff also sees a huge difference in Vogl’s game. “He’s starting to understand what it takes to develop into a better player here,” said manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He can do so much more than hit for power.”
