Before the Mizzou baseball commit Caden Throneberry, sophomore, could pick up a ball, his parents introduced him to music at age 4. 

“The piano is something I can go to when I’m bored. It’s a cool trick to have,” Throneberry said.

Playing a musical instrument requires coordination and practice and these same principles carry into Throneberry’s athletic pursuits on both the football field and the baseball diamond.

Marc Ostrowski, freshman baseball coach, made note of Throneberry’s maturity when he entered the baseball program as a freshman. Throneberry announced his verbal commitment to the University of Missouri several months before that season began.

“For someone to commit to a program in the eighth grade and the maturity it takes, it means that the player has quite a bit of foresight and has a long-term vision for where they see themselves competing in the years to come,” Ostrowski said.

Ostrowski said Throneberry’s maturity and strength have helped him stand out from one sport to the next.

“It’s no surprise. When he’s that far ahead of other athletes his age in one sport, it stands to reason he’d be that way in other sports,” Ostrowski said. 

Throneberry said he spends much of his Saturday recovering from the long week of training and recharging for the next week. He said there is a great deal of pressure that accompanies committing to an SEC program, and it’s important he keeps his body healthy while transitioning from one sport to the next.

“Those expectations are good sometimes. They push me to be better,” Throneberry said.

Throneberry said his older brother, Connor, is playing baseball at Penn State. He said Connor had a hand in paving the way for his D1 baseball commitment.

This year marks Throneberry’s debut season on the varsity football team. He has assumed a leadership role as the starting quarterback while being one of the youngest on the field.

“When I’m out there, I don’t feel younger. I feel it’s important for me to just be a leader. It’s the most important thing I can do as a quarterback,” Throneberry said.

John Meyer, varsity baseball coach, said baseball and football share similar elements such as pitch recognition as a hitter is similar to a quarterback reading the defense under pressure.

“Overcoming failure in baseball versus the fear of getting hit in football go hand in hand,” Meyer said. 

Meyer said baseball breeds multi-sport athletes. 

“Baseball is a 360 degree sport. The hand-eye coordination and game speed create very versatile athletes,” Meyer said. “They run. They throw. They hit.”