Experience Spotlight - Hudson Belinsky, Tampa Bay Rays

In this semester's Experience Spotlight series, the blog will be featuring Cornell ILR SBS members who have excelled in positions in the sports industry. Many talented Cornell students are making impressions all across the sports world, and this is their chance to showcase their experiences.

This week's Spotlight focuses on Hudson Belinsky '15.  Hudson is a senior in Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, majoring in Communications. He has twice represented Cornell and SBS (in addition to one trip as a student at Siena College) at the SABR Analytic Conference's Diamond Dollar Classic case competition. Hudson has also broadcast hockey and baseball as a member of the Big Red Sports Network.   He can be reached at hjb83@cornell.edu.

Hudson has worked for the Tampa Bay Rays since August, 2013, and will continue there through graduation.  Hudson serves as Amateur Scouting Assistant, and was kind enough to answer some questions about his experiences.


What were some of your day-to-day responsibilities of the position?

Scouting players in showcases and collegiate summer leagues, updating video and scouting report databases as necessary, tracking down players in the northeast who are rumored to be professional prospects.

How were you able to get the internship?

I networked with scouts in the northeast during my internship in the summer of 2013 and eventually met someone who needed assistance.

How has this experience shaped your career plans?

It’s reaffirmed my desire to work in Major League Baseball and given me a very firm grasp on how things operate inside the industry. 

What advice would you give another student interested in a similar experience?

Be willing to work nights and weekends. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they might be stupid questions. Write down any scouting observation you have, and look back at your early notes often to reflect upon where you went wrong. 

What was your favorite aspect of the experience?

I really enjoyed traveling around the northeast and getting to know different pockets of the country. There’s a lot of really cool culture in New England and the mid-Atlantic states that I hadn’t really had a chance to experience before. 

Thank you to Hudson and the Tampa Bay Rays for allowing us to share this awesome experience. We hope you have learned about some of the wonderful opportunities that Cornell, the ILR School, and the ILR Sports Business Society can provide in the sports world. We hope to feature many more stories from students and employers this fall!