The lifetime of a minor league baseball participant is often spent removed from house.
That’s the place Sean Mellen spent the primary few years of his profession.
Now, not less than for a short while, he’ll get to play inside cheap driving distance of his hometown of Norwood.
The 24-year-old left-handed pitcher, who helped Norwood High win the 2015 MIAA Div. 1 state championship, is now enjoying for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Double A affiliate, that performs in Manchester, N.H., within the Eastern League.
“It’s nice to play close to home,” mentioned Mellen, whom the Blue Jays’ group promoted from the Northwest League’s Vancouver Canadians (High A) on April 27. “I get to see my friends and my family.”
This season, between the 2 groups, Mellen is 2-1 with a 2.89 earned run common. In his profession he’s 3-3 with a 5.18 ERA. Currently, he’s a middle-long reliever with a 1-0 document at New Hampshire and a 4.70 ERA.
“It bridges the gap between the starter and closer,” Mellen mentioned. “I’ve done everything at one time or another. I’ve started. I’ve closed. Playing those different roles can help.”
Mellen started his skilled profession within the Los Angeles Dodgers’ group. The Dodgers drafted him out of Northeastern University within the 14th spherical of the 2918 Amateur Draft with the 431st choose total.
On April 28 of final yr, the Dodgers’ group launched Mellen.
“There was a lot of uncertainty,” Mellen mentioned. “I knew I could still play baseball, but didn’t know if I’d get the chance again.”
Less than a month later, on May 26, the Blue Jays gave him that likelihood, signing him as a free agent. He began out within the group on the Blue Jays’ Florida Complex League (Rookie League) group, earlier than shifting as much as Dunedin (Single A) and Vancouver.
The uncertainty Mellen felt throughout that month was a well-recognized feeling. As was the case with each minor league participant, his 2020 season was canceled as a result of Covid-19 pandemic
“It was difficult,” Mellen mentioned. “It was supposed to be the first full year for the 2019 draft class. You had to keep working and make do with whatever you had, throwing at a high school field or into nets. Now that we’re back it’s so much fun.”
Though the Dodgers launched Mellen, he has nothing however good issues to say about that group and mentioned it has lots in frequent with the Blue Jays’ system.
“I’ve been fortunate to play for two great organizations,” he mentioned. “They really put a lot into developing the players.”
As Mellen has progressed by the ranks, he’s famous a distinction within the batters he faces and has developed a greater concept of what he must do to achieve success.
“The hitters are better,” he mentioned. “You see them so often they learn your tendencies and you learn theirs. You can’t pitch to them the same way. When I started I just had a fastball, but now I’ve developed other pitches. You have to develop other pitches.”
Mellen’s time at Northeastern, the place he performed for Mike Glavine, who performed professionally for 10 years, together with a stint with the New York Mets, additionally ready him for the realities {of professional} baseball.
“Coach Glavine does a great job,” Mellen mentioned. “He had been through it. College is different than the pros in a lot of ways, but he got us ready for it.”
Said Glavine, “We recruited him hard out of Norwood. His freshman year, he showed signs of potential. He had a win against a nationally ranked Auburn team in his junior year.”
Last winter, Mellen had an opportunity to assist out his former coaches whereas preparing for the season.
“He worked out with us,” Glavine mentioned. “His pitching philosophy has changed since he’s been with two different organizations. He talked to me and out pitching coach (Kevin Cobb) and we learned a lot from him.”
Mellen’s expertise at Norwood, not simply as a baseball participant, but additionally as an athlete, additionally paid dividends.
“He was a three-sport athlete,” mentioned his highschool coach Kevin Igoe. “He’s 6-foot 5. He played football (receiver and defensive back) and hockey. He didn’t do the AAU thing that a lot of kids do.”
Said Mellen, “It gave me more confidence as an athlete. I learned different skills that helped me. I learned how to compete and how to focus on helping the team win and not just on how I did and impressing the scouts.”
While Mellen is hoping to get an opportunity to play within the Majors, identical to each different minor-league participant, his targets are extra about what’s instantly in entrance of him.
“I’m taking it day to day and building on each game,” he mentioned. “If you do your job in each game and with each pitch, everything else takes care of itself.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com