CLEARWATER, Fla. – Landen Maroudis resides his greatest life with each pitch he throws.
“This has been my dream since I used to be little,” defined Maroudis.
Initially dedicated to play faculty baseball at North Carolina State. Nevertheless, the Toronto Blue Jays used a fourth-round draft decide on the Calvary Christian Excessive College pitcher final 12 months, and Maroudis figured now was nearly as good a time as any to begin residing his childhood dream.
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“I simply felt that if I had a possibility in entrance of me, I ought to take it,” he stated.
In fact, it didn't damage that Maroudis' commute to his dream job wouldn't be too lengthy.
“Yeah! A 20 minute drive, not too dangerous,” Maroudis joked.
The 19-year-old, who reported to the Blue Jays' complicated in Dunedin, started his skilled profession proper in his personal yard when he realized he had made the Dunedin Blue Jays' spring coaching roster this season.
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“Listening to that I used to be going to be on the roster to begin the 12 months was tremendous thrilling for me,” Maroudis stated. “It was actually rewarding with all of the work I put in within the offseason.
In the meantime, it wouldn't be lengthy earlier than Maroudis confirmed the Blue Jays precisely what they bought with the 121st decide within the draft.
“Some guys, whether or not they're from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela or a four-year faculty, they're sort of caught up within the highlight, however he wasn't like that in any respect,” Dunedin pitching coach Cory Riordan stated. “It's like he's been doing this for 4 or 5 years.
Already appearing like a seasoned professional, Maroudis has carved out his personal spot within the Dunedin Blue Jays rotation because the workforce's common Sunday starter.
“Each Sunday, at any time when I throw, there's at all times an enormous crowd,” he stated. “It's actually nice for my family and friends to come back to the video games and assist me and to have my mother and father proper subsequent to me is admittedly nice.”
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Regardless of leaping proper out of highschool to the minor leagues, Maroudis has up to now thrived on the mound.
“The blokes are quite a bit larger and hit the ball quite a bit tougher, however to me it's the identical sport,” he stated. “He's only a batter and within the field I'm in opposition to him.
That's to not say life within the decrease leagues has been straightforward for Maroudis.
“They’ve [the Blue Jays] actually centered on me getting by means of a 130 sport season vs. a 30-game season in highschool,” he stated.
However with an ERA underneath 1.00, he already ranks because the eleventh greatest Blue Jay prospect within the group.
“[He has] 4 good pitches and throw them over the plate,” Riordan stated. “The sky's the restrict.”
And Maroudis hopes to check that restrict, however by no means discover it, as he continues his journey towards a dream job pitching within the Main Leagues.
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