What drives you in your direction?

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a baseball player. Never really understood what that meant or which direction this path would take me. At a young age, the ups and downs that come with any career are never thought about. I just knew I loved the game of baseball.

Just about every chance we got, my friends and I would head out to the black top or any piece of grass we could find. We would play baseball in some fashion with just a handful of us. There was always some mix between a makeshift baseball game, a wiffle-ball game, or just your standard Home Run Derby to see who held bragging rights until next time.

While moving from team to team each year, I was never the most athletic on the diamond, but among the strongest kids. Power doesn’t help you make contact with a baseball. I’ve always had to work harder so I could utilize my gift. Analyzing myself and being truthful about what I found took a lot but in the end, it kept me steady along the way. If you’re honest, you can evaluate and make the correct changes that will help guide you.

Throughout my five-year varsity career I was ranked toward the top of my position within the state. In the midst of my junior year, I fully committed to the University of South Carolina, who at the time was the #1 baseball program in the country and soon-to-be Back-to-Back National Champions (2010-2011). Then, during my senior summer and right before moving to Columbia, our South Carolina (Southeast) Big League World Series team won the World Series Title. Needless to say before walking onto campus, my ego was building.

My freshman season (2012) was beginning and I felt like I was prepared. I earned the starting DH position and was in the lineup… up until we began SEC play. That first weekend against Kentucky, I fell apart. I struggled for the first time in my short career and didn’t know how to pick up the pieces. Panicked, I started to press and put pressure on myself, causing me to dig a deeper hole. Couldn’t get out of my own head. After two or so weeks of these difficulties, I lost my starting spot.

I spent the majority of my sophomore year (2013) on the bench, attempting to fix what I thought was broken. I was unable to pinpoint the problem so I kept doubting myself and my abilities. It began to creep into my head that I might need to transfer in order to be in a starting lineup. Following many conversations with my family, I decided to follow the path that kept me at Carolina and committed myself to not giving up and proving that I could play at this level of baseball.

After my sophomore season, I played summer ball in the Coastal Plains League and worked diligently with my buddy to get on the right track. I had to change a lot of components of my swing to become more efficient with my movements, then build a routine to help me feel consistent on a day-to-day basis. I was taking extra reps in the cage, then more on the field each day in the heat of the summer. By the end of that summer, I felt like I could confidently head back to school and hold my head up high with whatever lay ahead.

My junior year (2014), I started every game, and batted over .300 that season in one of the toughest conferences in college sports. I felt accomplished. I felt I had proven a lot to myself. After the 2014 season, I was selected in the tenth round of the draft by the Los Angeles Angels. After days of contemplating whether I wanted the offer or to go back to school for one last season, I chose school. I chose that route for two reasons. The first reason was that I wanted to get a full year closer to completing my degree and the second reason was that I truly believed I could have a stronger year. I felt I had something to prove.

After my senior season (2015), I was toward the top of most hitting categories in SEC play. I was having the season of my life. All the dedication and work, all the time and effort, and all those bets I placed on myself were paying off. In that year’s draft, I was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Fast forward a few years, and it's the end of the 2017 season. I just finished up in AA in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was a long and tough season personally. During that time, I was faced with more down than up moments, and my morale wasn't high enough to keep up with the daily struggles. Prior to that season, I had let a couple coaches and staff change me, believing it would put me on the right path to the Big Leagues. They worked to adjust my physical movements along with my mental approach. I was unable to concentrate on the game because my thoughts were so occupied with all the new adjustments. Then, the more I struggled, the more I was asked to change. I was constantly trying something different which led to nothing feeling right. After a while, I felt like a completely different player. Lost in a way. My brain became foggy with the steady influx of inconsistencies. I couldn’t get out of my own head, all while losing grips on the real reason I was there.

In 2018, I returned to AA after spending my offseason focusing on my workouts, and getting back to my old hitting ways. I started the season well, and was consistent, but just couldn't get any hits to fall. I wasn't about to let those outs bother me because I was beginning to feel like myself again! Then.... the injury bug crawled up and took a bite. I busted open a couple of fingers, missed some time, then got sent down to High-A to finish the remaining 60 or so games. Despite not being very excited about the move down, I decided to make the most of the path I was now on. The manager and hitting coach I had in High-A didn't stress the small things as much and allowed me to play as myself. I was able to enjoy baseball a little bit more. Bright skies awaited, so it seemed. During the eighth inning of the second to last game that season, I took an aggressive step to my left for the ball that was hit down the first baseline and I missed. This caused my momentum to jump forward. I made the split decision to tuck-and-roll, but I must've forgotten to fully tuck so I landed on my elbow instead. This caused my arm to shoot up, and my collarbone to snap in half. Surgery and rehabilitation was how I was going to spend my offseason.

In December of 2018, after 3 months of recovery, I was expecting the green light for baseball activities. Incredibly excited to start swinging again and getting back on the field. My final consultation with the doctor revealed the exact opposite. I had to be taken back in for a second surgery… Which meant more rehab... Which meant more time missed.

When March of 2019 rolled around, I was watching all my teammates arrive for Spring Training and get prepped to start the year in high hopes. I was still in the training room all morning. One week into Spring Training, I got the OK to start swinging and throwing lightly. Day by day I was building up my reps and strength. By the time I was 100% and ready for games, Spring Training was over so I got stuck in extended Spring Training waiting for a spot to open up with one of our affiliated teams.

During my time in extended I was playing the most impressive baseball I had ever played. I wasn't sure if it was the extra time away from the game to clear my head, the unruly craving I had to get back on the field, or the "F it" mentality I had after six months of recovering and feeling left behind. The combination of all of these must've fuelled the desire to prove myself again. But it didn’t matter, because after a few weeks, there were no open positions and I was released to create slots for the new draftees coming in. There was a fork in the road ahead: play Independent baseball or retire.

Players' first thoughts when Independent baseball is on the table are usually in the ballpark of, "This is where dreams goto die" or "I don't want to play on a back field in front of only seven fans" neither of which are fully correct. Independent baseball is truly what you make of it. But nonetheless, when I was looking at my future, these were the same ideas I dwelled on. I had a few Indy ball teams contact me to inquire about my next move and one team stood out. The Winnipeg Goldeyes who were just above the border of North Dakota in Manitoba Canada. I figured playing in Canada and checking out their culture a little bit would be an awesome experience. So, I signed with them five days after my release and was expected to fly to Canada within the next few days. Upon my arrival to the stadium, I was called into the Manager’s office for our first meeting. His main point throughout the entire meeting was, “We play to win every night." This was a mentality I could get behind. The sole focus was on helping the team win each day, not on stats or performances. This allowed me the freedom to prepare with drills and practices I felt would have me ready to perform that same night. I could build off what I was already progressing on mechanically while getting back to the mentality that got me drafted in the first place. I was no longer losing myself in my own thoughts, nor focusing solely on the little pressures that I put on myself. In all of this simplicity, baseball became fun again. I was able to regain the love and passion I once had as a kid.

After the 2019 season and about 80 games under my belt in Indy ball, I couldn’t wait for what the next season would bring. Then Covid hit. Through careful consideration, the league agreed to a sixty-game shortened season. Thankfully it all worked out so we could play baseball in 2020. For the first three weeks of our season, we were the only professional baseball games played since MLB hadn’t come to terms with their season status.

After those sixty regular season games, I was the RBI leader for the 2020 season. Finished with a comfortable average compared to previous years, and a strong total of homeruns. I was able to smoothly insert a few extra pieces into my game and learn a substantial amount more. This was all because my main focus was to help the team win each day, allowing my head to remain less congested from overthinking it all. I was overly happy with the success of 2020 especially considering we weren’t sure if we’d even play.

In 2021, with the effects of Covid still lingering, we were given the OK to play a full 100-game season. However, the border into Canada remained closed. Luckily, the Jackson Generals of Tennessee had a park to lend and it became home for the majority of the 2021 season. Our games in Jackson were a bit rough; smaller town, hot summers, no breeze due to the stadium design, and very few fans (averaging 20 a game on the high end). Morale was kept alive by the players' dedication.

With a month left in the season, the Goledeyes were given a blessing. The border was allowing professional teams to cross, so we were able to play the remainder of our home games in Canada. Winnipeg had been without baseball for 18 months or so. The team, the fans, and the staff were all extremely excited to get back to Shaw Park. Our first game back, my first at-bat, I hit a homerun to take the lead in the bottom of the first inning. It was electric. Even in Indy ball, it was a moment I will never forget because it felt special. 

The 2021 season was filled with big moments. That whole year was an incredible year for me. Something clicked. In 99 games, my stat-line was .280/.371/.609, while battling for the top spot in the homerun, and RBI race. In regular season play, I finished the season with a league-record of 106 RBI’s and tied the league's second best record for homeruns with 31. A handful of those homeruns were in big situations; a few of them were walk-off homeruns, while three of them were grand slams, which set yet another league record (at the time) for the most grand slams in a season.  Like I said, something clicked.

Later in 2021, I got invited to play winterball in Mexico for Mayos de Navajoa. I wasn’t sure what to expect below the border. But what I found was really impressive! The intensity in the stadiums kept you on your toes, and the energy was palpable. The music was constantly blaring and the fans were partying the entire game! Once I got settled in and loosened up, I was able to pick up right where I left off. I kept the same mindset in the 53-game sprint, playing to win every game. My stats in Mexico were in direct line with my Winnipeg stats that year, .271/.387/.572 while leading the league in HR’s with 17.

My overall stat line from 2021 was strong. Just as many RBI’s as games played. One HR every three games. Fully expecting another opportunity with an MLB organization after proving that I could perform at a professional level again. But there were no calls. It was a bit deflating, but I chose to keep my drive up.

Because of how well I played in winterball for Navajoa, I did get offered a contract to play in the Mexican summer league for Guerreros de Oaxaca. I had heard a lot of positive stories about the league and after doing my own research, I was excited to get into this new experience. I believed that if I immersed myself in the culture, I would play better. So I did just that. I kept working on what little Spanish I knew and becoming close with my teammates. I tried all the tasty restaurants and as many different recipes as I could find while exploring all the to-dos and sites of Oaxaca. Making the most of any experience can be freeing, and that mindset helped me feel more comfortable in Mexico. After two and a half months, and 39 games played, I received a call from the Padres organization. At the time, I was batting .364 with an .884 slugging percentage. I had more homeruns (18) than doubles (9), and I was comfortably sitting at 47 RBI’s. Unreal.

When I signed with the Padres, they sent me directly to their AAA affiliate in El Paso, TX. This was a giant step in an otherwise goal of making it to the Big Leagues. For the past three years, I have worked diligently to prove that I am still capable of fulfilling my dream. I finished my first and only season so far in AAA (79 games) at .257/.352/.529 and anOPS of .882. Recording 19 doubles, 17 homeruns, and 46 RBI’s.

That’s where my career lies until next season, and it’s all there to prove that no matter what situation you’re in you always have something to strive for. Being One in a Million isn’t an ego boost. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a mentality. It’s a daily reminder to look within yourself, as an honest evaluation of everything you’ve dedicated to standing where you are today. No one is normal in their own right because every path is different. Working vigorously through a Masters program at a university, enlisting in the military, becoming a first responder, teaching the next generation, or even becoming a stay-at-home parent. All of these careers require different skill sets, and becoming One in a Million encourages you to find your talent and strive to be the very best you can be with what you have worked so hard to achieve.