Hancock will play baseball at the University of Hawaii

Prolific sophomore season pays off.

By Shaun Scott • July 25, 2018 5:25 pm
Bellevue Bulldogs baseball player Brennen Hancock prepares to swing the bat in a game during the 2018 season. Hancock, who graduated from Cascade High School in Everett in 2016, will continue his baseball career at the University of Hawaii. Photo courtesy of Rich Dworkis
Bellevue Bulldogs baseball player Brennen Hancock prepares to swing the bat in a game during the 2018 season. Hancock, who graduated from Cascade High School in Everett in 2016, will continue his baseball career at the University of Hawaii. Photo courtesy of Rich Dworkis

Bellevue College Bulldogs sophomore Brennen Hancock felt the pressure in March of 2018.

Hancock, who was in the midst of his final season with the junior college squad, hadn’t received much attention from Division-1 baseball programs. Hancock preceded to put together a stellar sophomore season going 41-for-140 at the plate with seven home runs and 37 RBIs. Hancock also drew a team-high 45 walks. The sensational sophomore campaign resulted in Hancock earning a spot on the University of Hawaii Division-1 collegiate baseball team.

Hancock is thrilled about the opportunity awaiting him in Hawaii.

“I wasn’t getting many calls at the beginning of my sophomore season and then the calls just started rolling in. It was a relief. I didn’t want everything I had been working for to fall short. I took a chance on myself going to a junior college (Bellevue College) out of high school because I wanted to see what I could make out of myself in two years and see myself grow as a player and as a person. It all paid off,” Hancock explained. “We have a long lineage of sending a lot of dudes out there from Bellevue and have heard nothing but good things coming back from them. Living in Hawaii for a couple of years isn’t the worst thing in the world.”

Hancock, who played first base for the Bulldogs, said he will compete for playing time with the Hawaii baseball team at first base, left field and right field.

“At first, they (Hawaii) coaching staff wanted me to play a corner outfield (left field, right field) but they only have one first baseman coming back so pretty much wherever they can fit my bat into the lineup. I will play wherever I can get an opportunity,” Hancock said.

Hancock said he has been playing for the Seattle Studs, who compete in the Pacific International League throughout the summer. Hancock said he plans on arriving on campus in Hawaii on Aug. 14. Hancock credited Bellevue College head coach Mark Yoshino for his development on the diamond the past two seasons.

“No disrespect to my other coaches, but I have played basketball, football and baseball growing up and he (Yoshino) is probably the coach I have learned from the most and enjoyed playing for the most. He just went about things in a different way than I have ever seen before. He was a perfect mix of intense but not too intense where he took the fun away from the game,” Hancock said. “Everyone who comes out of Bellevue grows so much. You learn to be more responsible. He (Yoshino) is much more than a baseball coach, he is a life mentor.”