The Oct. 28 show “ODAC Chat,” hosted by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, features Erik Kratz, catcher for the New York Yankees and EMU alumnus.
The 24-minute show is hosted by ODAC Associate Commissioner J.J. Nekoloff.
Kratz gives a candid interview about the work ethic required to be a professional athlete in the MLB, his perspective on coming from the Division III level, and how his former teammates each contributed to his improvement and future success.
“Being from Division III, I knew there wasn’t a paved path available to me and that kept me hungry,” Kratz says.
He credits much of his professional success to his family and friends, including that “Division III small school support community” that started at EMU and continued through his most recent season with the New York Yankees.
Nekoloff also asks Kratz about his mentoring of his teammates in the context of ODAC’s theme of “I’ve Got Your Back” for the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Social Media Campaign.
Kratz was EMU’s 2019 Alumnus of the Year.