STATEN ISLAND, NY- It’s been a great summer thus far for Justin Snyder.

Since the Yankees selected him in the 21st round of this year’s draft back in June, the 21 year-old University of San Diego standout has taken the New York-Penn League by storm.

A versatile utility player who’s been a fixture in the leadoff spot for the Baby Bombers, Snyder has adjusted very well to his first summer of pro ball.

A three sport athlete in high school where he played baseball, football and soccer, the San Diego native was a 2007 All-West Coast Conference first team selection this past year finishing with a .352 average, 89 hits, 21 doubles, 50 runs, four homers and 36 RBI’s.

He’s been able to carry that over successfully in his first season with Staten Island where he’s helped the team into a tie for the league’s wildcard with Vermont through 52 games with each sharing identical 30-22 records.

With a couple of hits plus a run scored in Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Jamestown at the ballpark at St. George, Snyder moved into a tie for the league lead in hitting with Mahoning Valley’s Todd Martin with both at a .382 clip.

Not surprisingly, that’s not the only offensive category you can find Snyder at or near the top of. His 71 hits along with an impressive .482 on-base percentage pace the league and he also ranks second to Martin with 46 runs scored. Thanks to a patient approach at the plate, he’s also drawn the third most walks (34).

All this has helped make Snyder a Penn League All Star where he’ll take part in the league’s third annual AS Game later tonight in Hudson Valley.

“It’s awesome,” he beamed at his locker Sunday afternoon before getting ready to leave. “One of my goals coming out here was to do that. So hopefully it will be fun and hopefully I’ll do good.”

As the ballclub’s leadoff hitter who his manager can pencil in everyday without giving much thought, Snyder has excelled at getting on base and setting a good tone for his teammates throughout the lineup who follow.

“Usually, you just go up there looking for something to hit. I’m usually taking a few more pitches as the leadoff guy so people behind me can see how he’s pitching and see what he has and all that stuff. It’s kind of on me to get the game going. Get it rolling.”

One edge that Snyder has is he knows that the hitters which follow can make opposing pitchers pay the price for putting him on.

“Especially if like I get a hit and he pitches out of the stretch and he’s going to leave it up. [Taylor] Holiday and [Damon] Sublett and [Braedyn] Pruitt behind me, that’s pretty tough.”
Listed at a stocky 5-9 190 pounds, the Staten Island Yankees’ table setter wasn’t too pleased about having to wait until the 21st round to get selected. So he certainly arrived to New York with a chip on his shoulder.
“Coming out here, I felt I had something to prove. Obviously, some people in the organization didn’t think I deserved to go higher than that. So I mean I’m just coming out here and showing what I can do and showing them what maybe they thought I couldn’t do.”

A player who Staten Island manager Mike Gillespie praised for his ability to play multiple positions, Snyder has lived up to that billing by playing four for the Bombers this summer including third, short, second and center. He doesn’t really have a preference.

“It doesn’t matter to me where I play. It’s just as long as I get to swing that wood. I could care less. You could put me at first base, catcher and I probably wouldn’t do so good at catcher but it don’t matter as long as I’m in the lineup.”

The multidimensional fielder even recalled a time in his career where he played all nine positions.

“Summer ball one time. I played all nine. It was a pretty good experience,” pointing out that he even pitched back in high school while teammate David Williams chided in the background that ‘he’s not that good. I faced him,’ to friendly chuckles.

“I pitched a little bit last summer an inning in an All-Star Game cause they didn’t have any arms. Nothing overpowering or anything like that. I just throw it and I don’t really know where it’s going. I struck out the league MVP in the All-Star Game. It’s not a big deal,” Snyder recalled with a wide eyed grin.

“Changeup. Changeup and then a fastball and then he swung and missed and I kind of had to put my glove over my mouth cause I was laughing kind of hard.”

As for his approach to the game, it’s pretty simple.

“Going out there trying to have a good approach at the plate. … In the field, just using my versatility to get in the lineup and try to get really good at all the positions instead of just concentrating on one.”

Despite on-field success, there are noticeable differences between college and the pros.

“All the pitchers are really good. There’s a reason they’re here meaning sometimes on a college team, you don’t really get like all their bullpen. They want their really good guys. All the hitters can swing and all the hitters can hit home runs. All the hitters can drive the ball in the gap.”

“You can let up a little bit in college not as much but you could still do it and get away with it. You can’t really do that here.”

The schedule is also much busier which is part of the learning curve in the minors.

“You can’t really go out. In college you could cause you didn’t have a game the next day. This year, you got to pace yourself and you got to figure out what you want to work on. … You got to get in there and get after it and do what you need to get done.”
Being from the West Coast, Snyder couldn’t help but notice the difference in weather.

“It’s humid as hell. The last few days have been awful. Humidity is just bad. Sometimes, you go outside and sweat. That’s pretty much the only difference and when it rains, it pours. Sometimes, it rains more in one night than in eight years in San Diego.”

Snyder wasn’t the lone Staten Island Yankee who will represent the club in Poughkeepsie. He’ll also be joined by teammate Zach McAllister. The second-year righthander was a hardluck loser Saturday giving up three runs in six to fall to 3-3. He still has a respectable 2.98 ERA which places him just outside the league’s top 10 and has fanned 56 in 51-plus.
It hasn’t been hard to recognize the 19 year-old former 2006 third round pick’s composure.
“He’s very mature on the mound for his age. Knows how to pitch people inside. Doesn’t really give in when things are going tough. He’s poised and gives good effort,” Snyder noted.

“Especially when people are on base. And when people are in scoring position, just get right down to it and get after the guy. Strike him out. Get him to pop up. Something like that.”

And while a couple of teammates such as Sublett and Pruitt didn’t get the same respect, it’s not going to alter Snyder’s approach.

“Just cause I made it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop working now.”