Pro Tips Interview with David Peralta

Go beyond the game and inside the mind of David Peralta with this behind-the-curtain interview. In partnership with Wilson, Pro Tips met with the pro outfielder and talked to him about growing up, his life as a dad and more.

Pro Tips: What did you want to be as a little kid?
David Peralta: A ball player. I started playing baseball when I was three years old, so I think I [have] baseball in my blood. That’s what I love to do. When I decided to start playing baseball, I put a goal in my head that I’m going to be a big leaguer. I don’t know if everybody knows, I started as a pitcher, and my career was over after two surgeries in 2009 with the Cardinals. And I still was like, “I’m going to make it to the big leagues, I’ll find a way to make it,” and I did it as an outfielder. I went through a hard situation and everything, but I set my goal that this is what I want to be, and well, here I am!

Did you play any other sports growing up?
A little bit of everything — soccer, basketball, but to be honest, not good at either. So, I was like, baseball is my thing.

Have you been able to play catch with your little girl?
I’m trying hard to do that. She’s getting into that. My wife, she used to play softball in college, and I told her like, “Hey she’s going to play some sport,” but for sure like baseball or softball, something like that. Whatever she wants to do, we’re going to let her do, but I think I’m going to try and force just a little bit. But she loves baseball. She goes to the games. She loves the games. She knows all my teammates and everything. They only thing is when the other team does something she starts rooting for the other team, so I have to teach her that.

What’s the best baseball advice you’ve ever received?
It’s hard for me to [only] say one because I hear it a lot of times [and have gotten] a lot of advice throughout my career, like good ones and bad ones. I’m the kind of person that like, I’m only going to take whatever is positive. I’m not negative. But like I said, I said it before, discipline, hard work, consisten[cy] — that’s the best advice you can give to anyone.

How does the “Freight Train” nickname represent you?
Well, “freight train” is a kind of little crazy guy. I don’t know they call me “freight train” because I’m always running hard and everything, like a freight train. It’s hard for me to stop, and that’s kind of true. I got that nickname at the beginning of my career with the D-backs and I think fans love it, all my teammates love it, and like it. They kind of inspire me to keep doing what I’m doing. If you get a nickname in the Big Leagues, it’s because you’re doing something good.

How do you pick a walk-up song?
When you pick your walk-up song, it’s something that will get you loose and get you going. So, you have to pick the right walk-up song. I haven’t picked one yet, but I always have to pick something that I like, like something that every time I’m stepping to the home plate, it gets me going to do some damage.

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