By Kim Goss, MS

When we first interviewed Mike Carter Jr. for our September/October 2013 issue, he had just graduated from Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He finished his baseball career with a .450 batting average and became the all-time school leader in hits with 152, exceeding a record that had stood for over two decades. He also was the quarterback on the football team, leading his Bengals to the state championship game. Academically, Carter finished with a 3.8 GPA and earned a baseball scholarship to Rutgers. “Weight training is one reason I was able to get to where I am today – you need to do more than just play the game to win,”

said Carter in that BFS interview. He also said that the lift he believes has the most transfer to hitting is the power clean. “The swing is a quick, explosive movement, and the power clean is the best lift to develop explosiveness.” He added that he loved the dot drill, practicing it once and even twice a day. Recently, we checked in with Carter again. At What’s Happening Rutgers University photos Rutgers he is continuing his athletic fitness training under strength coach Mike Johansen, described by Carter as a great motivator who keeps the team focused.

As for Carter’s progress in the weightroom, he says besides increasing his power clean from 265 pounds in high school to 285, he still benches over 300, squats 400, and has a 34-inch vertical jump. His academics remain strong, and he finished his freshman year with a 3.4 GPA. Then there’s baseball. Carter hit .318 in his rookie season, starting 52 games at centerfield. He had 67 hits, which is the fourthhighest record made by a freshman since 2000, and finished second on the team with 34 RBIs; defensively he made only one error. These accomplishments earned him the honor of being named freshman AllAmerican and Rookie of the Year.

Says Carter, “The coaching staff at Rutgers has taught me something new every day, and they do a great job of emphasizing the little things, which will allow us to be successful.” As for his team, the Scarlet Knights finished the season with a 14-9 league record, tying for third in the American Athletic Conference.

In his rookie season at Rutgers, Carter hit .318 and started 52 games at centerfield. He had 67 hits, and was named freshman All-American and Rookie of the Year. 5 Carter has put his time in the weight room. His best lifts include a 285-pound power clean, a 300+ bench press, and a 400+ squat. He also has an impressive 34-inch vertical jump.

Carter says Rutgers was a great decision, and he visits home every few weeks to see his friends and family. He appreciates the advice his father gave him, which was for him to understand why he is at Rutgers and to always keep in mind how privileged he is to be there.

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From BFS Magazine — November/December 2014. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).