scott Schebler Rewards Bryan Price's Faith

Scott Schebler was an underdog all of his life and needed to prove himself at every level of competition.

As a youth Schebler was smallish.  He wasn’t drafted out of high school and went to play baseball at the Des Moines Area Community College.  The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him with its 26th pick in the 2010 draft.

“I wasn’t a top prospect,” Schebler said. “When I got to pro ball my window was limited. I always had a little chip on my shoulder.  I haven’t lost that.  It is that little burning inside of me that keeps me going.  Good family support helps.  I didn’t get any looks out of high school for basebal. I thought I was going to go football.  You always want to kind of prove people wrong.  You saw it can be a good thing or a bad thing. Last year I came here and had to show them why they traded for me and I pressed a little. You have to find way to use it to benefit you.”

Seven years later Schebler is the starting right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds and after a slow start has rewarded the faith that Bryan Price showed in him.

“I knew he had power,” Price said. “I didn’t if he could play exclusively in rightfield. With young players you don’t know whether they can work out of their struggles quickly. He has shown the ability to work out of his struggles. He doesn’t fall into the paralysis by analysis. That’s hard for a young player who wants to stick. He doesn’t need to look over his shoulder. I’m a believer in Scott Schebeler. I think we all are. I see a guy that does everything from average to plus. The really plus plusses are his power, his defense and base running.”

Schebler was determined to take the job and run with it.

‘I worked my tail off to become better in right,” Schebeler said. “It is probably the one I played least in the minor leagues.  It was always my arm that kept me out of right. I really worked hard on my arm. I’m seeing some good things from my arm. At the end of the day you have to get to the ball quick and make sure they don’t run.”

Price allowed Schebler to work through his struggles at the plate.  Last year with Jay Bruce in rightfield, Schebeler was platooned early with Adam Duvall in left.  It didn’t work for Schebeler and he had to go to Louisville when Duvall took over the job on a daily bassis.  After Bruce was traded Schebler shook off initial struggles and finished the season strong.

On April 22, Schebler was at his season low mark with a .153 batting average.  In the 26 games since then he has hit. .306, been on base at a .361 clip with a slugging percentage of ..663.  He hit 10 home runs and drove in 20 runs in that stretch.


“He pulled me into his office and said, ‘hey, you’re our guy.’ He didn’t have to do that,” Schebler said. “He did and it made a world of difference to me. I’m still new to this organization. Every body has been really, really  awesome to me. I appreciated that.”