KALAMAZOO, Mich. — "I just want a chance," said Adam Wheaton.
Kalamazoo born and raised.
"It's been a lifelong dream of mine. I know I can do it. I know when I get in there I'll get outs and I will compete," said Wheaton.
Adam Wheaton is taking his shot at the pros.
"I just want a chance to play professional baseball," said Wheaton.
Adam Wheaton has played a lot of his baseball career in his own back yard. He was a four year starter at Hackett. And during his summers in college, he came home and pitched four seasons for the Growlers but there was something more he wanted.
"I put up good numbers and competed really well in Division 3 and came here and had really good summers. And I think the last step was to go put up good numbers in Division 1 and that's kind of what some scouts were saying to me too, go down there and see what happens and for me that was the last step. I knew I could do it, I just needed to do it and I'm glad I got the chance to," said Wheaton.
He packed up and moved 18 and a half hours from home to play a 5th year at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
"It shaped me more as a person than as a baseball player. I knew that I could compete at that level. I had a really good outing my last outing and just kinda came full circle and I talked to my parents and that's the best decision you've ever made," said Wheaton.
During his time with the Growlers Adam pitched 51 games, threw 218 strikeouts and had a 2.73 ERA. This season, the team decided to retire his jersey.
"First one in Growlers history and that was a pretty emotional moment. Just because it's home and you never really seek those things but those things are cool," said Adam.
"He's the guy every year I knew he was going to be our number one. He was going to be a leader in the clubhouse. He gets out there and throws 90-91, throws five pitches, striking guys out even this summer he's still 5th in the league in strikeouts. It just shows them that there's different ways of going about and playing this game and a lot of those things of just executing, go a long way," said Cody Piechocki.
The draft begins this Sunday. Adam will wait for a phone call from a team and his Growlers coach is hopeful that the moment will happen for him.
"I Just can't wait for that right scout who believes in him like we did, gives him the opportunity because he's going to be a nightmare for all those minor league hitters who are still figuring out how to approach and he's going to come in with five pitches and throw strikes and I just think he's going to be a really successful professional pitcher and we just can't wait to see who takes that chance on him because they're going to get rewarded the same way we did," said Piechocki.
