There aren’t many things I agree with wholistically, but “Ignorance is wasted on the youth,” is one of them. There are so many things I thought I understood and knew when I was younger, but now understand just how foolish I was. Despite all of the literal pains and aches of getting older, the best thing about it is the perspective and wisdom you acquire. 2023 has been a really difficult year for me up to this point for a variety of reasons. I’ve been struggling in a lot of areas of my life, and those physical aches and pains have become even more pronounced.

However, before the calendar turned in January, I found myself reaching a personal pinnacle of sentimentality in the end of 2022. I was lamenting the short amount of time I had with my kids while they were still living under my roof, one is already off and in college. I was wondering how many more holiday meals and gatherings I would get to have with my entire extended family in tact. I am grateful for the times we can all get together, but as my parents and aunts and uncles get older, I never take anything for granted. More importantly, as my own kids get older I realize that we are only a few years away from having their holiday time divided up by the new families that they are joining or becoming a part of.

With my own perspective and mortality increasing each day, I began thinking back to the days of my youth with my grandparents. I was thinking about how special they made my childhood and all of our holidays. I made sure to go and spend time at each of their gravestones alone to have my time with them and say thank you. When I venture on those journies alone, I always make sure to stop and say hello to a woman I never met, Amelia.

My biological grandmother died tragically in 1959 when my dad was just seven years old. She was taken my dad and his younger sister at ages when they needed her the most. Although I knew this when I was much younger, my ignorance never really had me spend much time reflecting on it. Now, as my own kids are almost on their way out the door of my house, I couldn’t imagine having one of my parents gone at such a young age. As a parent, I could never imagine not being around to raise my kids, even though it almost happened once.

As an middle-aged man, I have been taking inventory of who I am as a person and what I want to do with my life in its next stage that is approaching. That reflection has led me to think about the impact and influence my parents have had on me as a person. I can clearly see the traits of each of my parents in me in how I handle things and interact with people. I know and feel the influences of my grandparents as well. I see where their personalities were passed down to me in certain areas, and I draw from the life lessons and experiences they shared with me before they passed. Yet, I never got to know one of them. I never got to meet Amelia, and she never got to meet me. I don’t know which parts of me are her, but I know I wouldn’t be here without her.

Standing at that gravestone and seeing a life ended at 29 brings so many emotions to a man that is in his mid-forties. At one point in time, it seemed that 29 was the age where you had everything figured out. Now, looking back it is the age where you started to learn you didn’t have everything figured out. There was so much to live for, and so many people to live for. However, I am seeking to figure out what parts of me show that represent her in this world.

As I was struggling a bit with this wanting to reconnect with my grandparents around the holidays, I feel like I got a little bit of closure and comfort by spending some time with them at the cemetary by myself in December. I came back home from my parents with a good perspective and handle on things. I was set to come back home and spend the rest of my break taking on projects over the rest of my break. At that point, I had no idea that my journey to seek guidance and comfort from my grandparents and a woman I never met would come full circle.

After returning home from my parents, my wife and I set out to clean out a storage closet that we had just thrown a number of items for years. I knew we had blankets, linens, and odds and ends in this closet, along with other items that we hadn’t used in over ten years that needed to be sorted through so we could donate or simply throw away. We had almost completed everything when Amy handed me a bag and said look at this:

Eighteen years earlier, my aunt had given this hand-embroidered pillow case from her mother to us with this touching note. Twenty seven year old me undoubtedly looked at this and thought what a nice gesture this was, but we placed the pillow case and not back into the storage bag it was given to us and truly forgot about us. The pillow case and note even survived a move from one house to another, from one storage area to another, fortunately without being damaged or thrown away where it would sit for another decade, waiting for the exact right moment to be discovered and opened.

Had I found this pillow case and note two years ago, I would have probably looked at it with a little more sentimentality than I did in 2005, but it would have undoubtedly gone right back into the closet. However, it was as if the spirits aligned for this to be placed in my hand only a couple of days after visiting her grave. I immediately took the pillow case out and put it around my favorite pillow. It was my chance to connect with someone I never knew, but undoubtedly has played a huge role in shaping who I am.

Now, every night when I go to sleep I lay my head where her hands once were. I sleep on my stomach, so I literally wrap my hands around her work every night. I wonder who these pillow cases were made for. I wonder if she envisioned giving them to grandchildren one day. I think about how she made these when she was probably 27 or 28 years old, and when I was originally given them around this age I didn’t think anything of it. I think about how she had no idea that she wouldn’t be around to see her kids grow up and turn into the awesome father and aunt that they have been to me. Every night when I lay my head down, I think about how lucky I am to have an aunt that was so thoughtful enough to share these with me.

When I often think and wonder what traits come out in me that were a part of my grandma, I think of the sentimentality that are a huge part of my aunt and my dad. I think that is what I have inherited, learned, and continue to try and pass down to my kids. Don’t overlook the simple things in life because those might be the greatest treasures you hold one day. Don’t take time with family and loved ones for granted, because you truly never know how much time you have in this world. Even though I never got to meet her, I feel like the pillow case I place my head on every night has brought me so much closer to her. I imagine her doing her embroidering with this case in her lap, and now my head gets to lay there each night. She never got to hold me or have my head in her lap, but over 60 years later it is where I place my head every night. Youth is wasted on the ignorant, but I’m glad I’ve lived long enough to gain this priceless wisdom and perspective while getting closer to a woman I’ve never met but is shaping me in profound ways today.

2023 has been far from the best year of my life, but there are plenty of reminders of how beautiful life can be. I see the physical resemblence of my grandma in my aunt and dad, but it is the emotional and sentimental traits I hope to keep passing down to my family over the years like they have to me. When we’re young time seems so endless, but as we get older we realize how quickly it goes by and how closely connected we are with each generation before us. While she didn’t live very long, my grandma has helped me stay connected with those generations by the things she made and passed down to her kids, both physically and spiritually. I hope I get to meet her one day.

I have a 17 year old son that is a pretty good baseball player. He’s a pitcher specifically. Ever since he’s been 9 years old, all he wanted to do on a baseball field was get on the mound and do his thing. He is a do anything to win kind of player, so he’s always been a good baserunner and had quick twitch ability at the plate, but as his pitching progressed well beyond his hitting, he viewed the hitting part of his game as something that hurt the team. Therefore, when he was 15 he decided he didn’t care if he ever swung a bat again. Since then, he has fully commited to putting the time into the weightroom to maximize his ability as a pitcher.

I am lucky enough to coach his travel baseball team, which means I get to make all of the decisions when it comes to lineups and matchups. However, it also means I get long car rides with him to listen to him asking who he is going to pitch against and him telling me that despite throwing six innings a day or two before, he’s ready to go back on the mound to help the team if needed today. He’ll point blank tell me that he wants to face the best team we’re going to play that weekend. That’s just the kind of kid he is. Some kids would rather pad their stats against weaker opponents, but he always wants to know exactly how he stacks up against the best.

Last summer, all of his hard work was coming to a head. He was consistently throwing 84-83 MPH and doing really well against teams the toughest teams that we faced. By the end of the year, he was ranked as one of the Top 100 baseball prospects in the state of Indiana for his class. However, he wasn’t satisfied, he wanted more. He hit the weightroom even harder after the season, and he saw his fastball starting to hit 85 MPH. We were going to baseball prospect camps on Division 2 and small Division 1 campuses. As a father, it definitely stroked the ego a bit to know your son was getting attention from programs at the next level. Even more satisfying was seeing him go to the gym on a Friday and Saturday night by himself when other people his age were out with friends or doing the other self-destructive things that some high school kids tend to get caught up in. His drive and his passion seemed to really not have a limit to where he would end up in college. The kid who loved nothing more in the world than pitching was getting to do that in front of college coaches all across the midwest, and then suddenly something wasn’t right.

The last few times he went out to pitch in October, his velocity was topping out at 83 MPH. Nothing terrible, but not the 85 or 86 that coaches were looking for from a 2024 graduate in the fall. More importantly, he began to say his arm hurt or felt dead. He was enraged because he felt like he embarrassed himself in front of coaches and scouts. I just chalked it up to him being worn down by the long year of winter workouts, high school baseball, travel baseball in the summer, and showcases in the fall. He kept pointing to his biceps area when he was describing where it hurt, so I thought that he just needed rest from throwing and time to strengthen the arm.

He had a good two months off from throwing before playing light catch in December. It was at that point when he came home and said he was experiencing discomfort in the same area that I got concerned. We went to the the orthopedic doctor, and he didn’t seem overly concerned. In fact, we both walked out thinking that if he followed his regiment of exercises to strengthen the area of discomfort, and taking another 6 weeks off from throwing he would be fine. Unfortunately, when he played catch again in mid-January he felt discomfort in the same area. This sent us back to the orthopedic doctor, which led to an MRI, which led to the revealing of a tear in his labrum.

Tommy John surgery is synonymous with pitchers in baseball. It is so much so a fabric of the game and medicine that the recovery process continues to shorten, and basically every pitcher that has the surgery comes back quickly to their previous form. Labrum and shoulder surgery on the otherhand are often death sentences for pitchers. The shoulder is the most complex joint in the human body, and doctors will openly tell you that they never quite know what to expect until they actually get in there during surgery. The recovery process is lengthy, and the results are never gauranteed. When we got the news together that day, my son and I both reacted in our own separate ways.

As a father, I thought about how my son’s dream of playing high level college baseball was likely over. By the time he had surgery and was fully recovered, all of the D1 schools he might have had a chance to play at would have filled out their rosters. The good D2 schools would have likely wanted to see him actually throw 87-86 MPH before extended an offer to play for their program. And more importantly, I was going to miss out on a year of getting to watch my kid do what he loves. That window is closing for me and even if he played at the next level I certainly would no longer be able to watch him play every game like I have his entire life. I was also thinking about how I was going to spend a summer going all over the place coaching a team that my son was not going to be playing for. I was crushed, but I was thinking of myself.

Brady was crushed for different reasons. He wasn’t thinking about colleges, surgery, or velocity; he was thinking about not being able to play with his teammates. He went to a high school where he knew nobody as a freshman to avoid being treated like a number at a school just shy of 4,000 kids. He wanted to be given a fair opportunity to play and not be compared to his older brother or have a grudge held against him because of his parents. He struggled miserably that year to make friends and find any sense of belonging. Even though he was the one that made the choice, it crushed us as parents to see him so crushed mentally. We were truly worried about his health as a sophomore, and if baseball even mattered. However, because he’s such a tough kid, he chose to stick it out. In the process, he started to feel like he belonged and made great friends with his teammates. Those high school teammates were now who he was feeling for in his most difficult moment. He wasn’t thinking about himself, but he was thinking about how he worked so hard to have a special season with them and it wasn’t going to happen.

When we got home that night, we sat down and talked. We decided that since the damage was done he should just let it rip until his surgery. Find out what your arm can do and test it to see what’s in the tank. Initially it was a rollercoaster of feeling dead and not having much velocity, to the arm regaining strength as he also resumed heavier weight lifting. The damage was done, so screw it! Surgery had been scheduled, so any new damage they’re going to fix anyways.

He would come home and keep me updated on how things were going. How hard he was throwing, if he could command his pitches, how many pitches he could throw before the pain got to be too much. I just kept trying to stay positive, but I knew the right thing to do would be to just go ahead with the surgery scheduled for March 9th. He would discover on his own that his shoulder wasn’t capable of letting him do what he needed in order to be successful. As a dad I thought, if he gets surgery on March 9th, he would have the opportunity to throw for some schools by November. He even kept telling me that he was going to get surgery. Yet, that didn’t stop him from going to every practice, coming home, and then going to the gym by himself every night to get his weights and cardio in. It only started to depress me more to see him working so hard for a season that wasn’t going to happen.

Then, about a week before his surgery, he came home and walked up to me and said, “Dad, I want to play.”

I sat there in the moment as a father thinking about what was best for my son. I told him that I appreciated that he wanted to play, but the best think for him to do was to have the surgery. It was his best chance to get healthy and extend his career to the next level. He understood that, because we had talked about it before. He had messaged college coaches that were reaching out to him with fake excuses why he couldn’t come to one of their practices and throw for them, but none of that mattered now.

“Dad, I just want to play with my teammates. We have a chance to be really good this year, and I don’t want to miss out on it. I don’t want to let them down. They voted me as a team captain, and if I don’t get out on the field none of that means anything. I don’t care if PBR or college coaches come and see my pitch and I’m only hitting 84-83. I don’t care where I go to college, I just want to play baseball. I want to play with the guys in the summer too.”

He had me with the first sentence, everything else was just icing on the cake. How could I deny that to my son? As parents, we’re supposed to be the ones making the wise decisions for them, but at the same time we’re supposed to be the ones supporting their dreams as well. He wasn’t making this decision for himself. He made this decision because he truly loves the guys he’s playing with and playing the game of baseball. Nothing is gauranteed at the next level or in life, so take advantage of it while you can!

The next day I called up the surgeon and told them we were postponing his surgery. When they asked until when, I told them we don’t know. Every day I fear that today will be the day that his arm says I cannot do this anymore. As a dad, I just hope he can get through the high season he so desparately wanted to be a part of. On top of that, I hope he can go out and perform to the lofty standards that he sets for himself. Others will look at him and not have any clue what he is putting himself through just to be out there. Others will question whether he even has an injury. I think I’ll always question what could have been had he not gotten hurt. However, I’m just glad he’s going to play.

As fathers, we too often lose perspective on what is really important. If your son is a talented athlete, it can sometimes turn into a *&%$ measuring contest with other parents about how good your kid is and where they’ll end up after high school. But that should never be what your focus is as a father. I go back to the days when my boys were 3-4 years old, and you just hoped they would like to play a game you loved. You hoped that they would want to go out and practice in the backyard. You hoped that they would have enough ability to make it onto good teams and contribute. You just hoped that they wanted to play.

That’s why when Brady said those words to me, it resonated so deeply. As an adult, we rarely get to play anything. It’s what makes it so painful when you see it taken away from your kids. My oldest son got told he wasn’t good enough to play in high school. As a father, that really hurt. However, I want ever dad/parent to know that it shouldn’t define you. It hurts in the moment, but you loved that kid long before they picked up a baseball, and you’ll love them much much longer after they stop. It’s hard to see a time when your son’s status as an athlete isn’t wrapped around your identity, especially when talking to other dads, but it really doesn’t matter.

If there are parents of younger kids reading this, especially 13-15 year old kids, my biggest piece of advice is to just enjoy watching your kids play the game they love. The talent, recruiting, and rostering of kids will take care of itself, for better or for worse. If you’re constantly caught up in what is coming up next, you’ll never enjoy what is happening now. This injury to Brady has really helped me refocus my thinking as a parent. I am just going to sit back and enjoy every opportunity I get to watch him pitch, because I don’t know how many more I’ll get in my life. All of those times we went and hit baseballs together or played catch together, the times you dreamed of your son playing baseball, the times you picked out a new bat or glove with them, the times you dreamed about them being a star and going on to the next level, they all hit you at once when your son says, “Dad, I just want to play.”

Don’t ever forget why we wanted them to play this game. Don’t ever forget how happy it made you feel to see them have some success with it. And most importantly, don’t EVER forget how much fun playing a game was and always should be for your kid.

𝓤𝓷𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓢𝓹𝓸𝓽𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽

2024 RHP Brady Gallo has a 6-foot, 188 pound frame. Top 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ player in IN’s ‘24 class.

Short, quick arm. Solid FB command with velocity trending ⬆️. Tight BB at 75-76 MPH.

👤PROFILE https://t.co/VBpXt7NfXR pic.twitter.com/3haaSbn9pK

— PBR Indiana (@PBRIndiana) January 6, 2023

Allow me to introduce myself as a career educator. My job is to identify, develop, and bring out the best in individuals. My favorite side job has been coaching and leading my son’s (Brady Gallo) travel baseball team for the past nine years. I have had the best spot in the world to watch him and his friends do what they love, while helping them develop into some high level baseball players.

I worked in sales a few times before I got my teaching license. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in communications and marketing, so I know what it takes to try and sell a person on a product or an idea. The problem was, that I never really found anything I believed in or loved to sell. I hated the idea of trying to sell someone on something for the sole purpose of padding my own pockets. That is why I wanted to get into the world of teaching and coaching. I wanted be able to impact people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

It is also why I am writing this message now. I know what my son has to offer a baseball program at the next level. I know how important continuing his baseball career beyond high school is to him. So, I’ve come full circle because it is my goal to help sell anyone that isn’t sure or isn’t convinced about who Brady is as a ballplayer, that they will be missing out on landing a great person who happens to be a really good pitcher.

So, before I get into things, let me clarify what Brady is not:

1. Overpowering against an entire lineup of high level hitters. Brady isn’t going to rare back and blow the ball by college hitters multiple times through the lineup.
2. If he doesn’t have good stuff or command, he’s going to be hit. Brady has command of multiple pitches, but if he is a little off against a high level team he’s going to get hit. However, he will always limit the damage and avoid the huge inning.

If you’re still reading, then let me tell you what makes Brady special and why I’ll go to battle with him any day on the mound against any team in the country:

1. He will not be outworked. Brady puts in the work that others talk about, but don’t always do. As Brady’s father, I know that instead of going out with friends on Friday or Saturday nights, he goes to the gym to get stronger. While he has constantly put in the work and has added over 40 pounds of muscle since starting high school, he works in silence. He isn’t the kid to post constant pictures or videos broadcasting all of the work he’s doing to get noticed by others. He knows that hard work is done when others are not watching or asking. He does it for himself, not for the approval of others or because his parents want him to. However, he also puts in all of the work on his own because he has never been the top guy on our team growing up. At various points growing up, he was probably in the bottom third on our roster in terms of production. While he was never at risk of being cut, he understood that if he wanted to continue seeing the field and significant at playing time on the team with his friends he needed to start putting in the extra work outside of practices and games. He was teammates and neighbors for years with a kid that has commited to Purdue University and another player who has hit 90 MPH and commited to Indiana Wesleyan. He worked hard to maximize his potential and to be considered the top guy on our team, and last summer he was clearly one of the best on our team. He got the ball against the best on our schedule. It was the role he wanted and the role he earned. He will accept his role when he enters your program as a freshmen, but he will bust his tail to be top contributor before he exits.
2. He is a pitcher. Yes, he has developed into a guy with a good arm because of the work he has put into the weightroom, but growing up he rarely could just throw the ball by most high level kids and teams. He had to learn how to hit spots and mix pitches when facing top competition. As a result, he is now a strike-thrower that has great command of multiple pitches. He also knows how to set up hitters and not fall into patterns. He has also been conditioned to start. When you see jim hit a “max fastball” number, understand that he is going to sit right around there the entire outing. We have the pitching charts to demonstrate that there is not much of a dip between pitch #1 and pitch #85 in velocity. When you see that he is hitting 87-85 MPH, that is where he’s going to stay for 5-6 innings. Bottom line, you will not have to teach him a ton of mechanical refinement to increase velocity or work on command. He also did a great job when called on the relieve this summer as well, so he is very versatile. While he may not have the raw talent of a kid hitting 90MPH, I would trust him to get outs against the same lineups as a kid who throws 90 down the middle or with minimal command of secondary pitches.https://twitter.com/canesGL2024/status/1536406290708238336
3. He has been conditioned to start his entire career. In travel baseball, we have faced a number of guys that PBR loves because of the max fastball, but by the second time through the lineup they have come down 3-4 MPH from the first inning. The “max fastball” is something that cannot be taught or coached, but maintaining velocity throughout an outing is something that is learned from developing consistent mechanics and hours in the weightroom.
4. Brady is also a great culture guy. He is a tough-minded, hard-nosed guy, but he is the first to congratulate his teammates when they do well. He will always be looking to pick other guys up and celebrate their success. However, he uses others success to motivate himself to do better. When he comes to your program, he will not be intimidated or jealous of others talents and success. He will just use that to drive himself to get to that level, but he’ll be in the dugout cheering them on instead of hoping they fail so they can get an opportunity. He is also fantastic with younger players that look up to him. He helps with younger teams and speaks with them about what it takes to maximize their potential. He also does a great job of speaking to our younger teams about how to create a winning culture. His high school coach would also attest that he does a good job of working with the underclassmen to develop culture and inclusion.

5. Brady simply wants the ball against anyone. He does not pay attention to rankings or opponents, so he literally has no fear of anyone and expects to beat whoever he faces. He’s the definition of a dawg. When we were 13U he faced the Hawks Gold out of Michigan and we got run ruled by the Perfect Game Top 50 organization. The following summer he faced them and did not give up an earned run over 6 innings. https://gc.com/game-5ef8f0c6df88c9c9d2dade78/stats. This past summer he faced them when we had no other pitchers left. He gutted out 6 innings to give us the win, and handed them 1 of their 2 losses on the summer. Once we finally got PBR Indiana to come and give him an extensive look, he mowed down the Indy Sharks going 5IP 3H 0R 6K’s 2BB. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DawlEXTjcU8 Later that day, the Indy Sharks beat the Bulls Black. The Indy Sharks also finished as runners up in this year’s ABC Championships at Grand Park. Additionally, he had no run outings against the STL Naturals and Indiana Primetime this summer. He also faced Impact Sports Academy from Green Bay twice with multiple Missouri Valley commitments covering 8 IP and allowing 3ER in both combined appearances. He also picked up a relief win over Mac N’ Seitz in Kansas City, and they went on to win the entire event. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MVKpFNBFQOA In the fall of 2021, he defeated the Indiana Canes and went 2.2IP allowing 1H 0R 2Ks vs the nationally ranked 2025 Canes Midwest team before exiting after being struck by a line drive. https://app.virtualcombine.com/profile/7a066b99-9967-4faf-8f04-6ad90a2e5abd/photos/expanded/video/c4af71c0-2baa-11ec-956f-a588f87e92bf/baseball

6. In addition to what he does on the field, he is also an outstanding, honor roll student.

I am putting this together because this kid is an absolute competitor and undervalued in the 2024 recruiting class. I know every coach says that about their players, but I am not risking my reputation and the reputation of this organization for just any player. If you have any hesitations, I would ask you to speak to the director of our organization, Brian Blondell, about him. (canesgreatlakes@gmail.com or 574-310-3924) You would also get high praise on him from our assistant coach and player at Indiana Wesleyan University, Tyler Bortone. (574-855-8423) Another point of contact would be longtime assistant coach, Tim Trenerry (574-339-6105) whose son is commited to Purdue University.

As of this writing, Brady recently was diagnosed with a torn labrum suffered during a high school fall workout doing pulldown throws without proper warmups and programming. He wants to compete and be on the field with his high school teammates, so he has decided to postpone surgery and push through as long as he can, which shows the character he has and how much he values winning over personal performance or injury. He had hit 85MPH at a couple fall camps and would have been at 87-86 by this spring/summer with his workout routine. He had very good showings at camps at Western Michigan, Grand Valley State, and SIUE. Since deciding to play this spring and resuming throwing, he has still been hitting 84 MPH at his high school bullpens.

In 2021, he was our 2 starter, and in 2022 he was our #1.

2021 (Summer and Fall) 52 IP 6-3 49H 47Ks 10BB 2.69 ERA 1.13 WHIP .238 BAA

2022 34.2 IP 9G 5GS 7-0 33Ks 19BB 2.22 ERA 1.29 WHIP .202 BAA

This kid will always have a special place in my heart not just as my son, but as a ballplayer that dozens of opposing coaches have praised. I will fight for him to play at the school of his choice at the next level. If you decide to bring him on board, I know you will look back on what a great decision and addition that was for your program. You won’t hear a word from me, because all I want is 4 more years of watching my son do what he loves beyond high school.

Mike Gallo Head Coach Canes Great Lakes

574-850-8808 mike.gallo314@mikegallo314

@canesGL2024

https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/profiles/IN/Max-Horner-3847261950

https://app.virtualcombine.com/profile/75440324-ffb7-4307-98e4-5006767ccd20/player/baseball/f2a774e0-7587-11e9-ad24-8ff64eb19f45

Allow me to introduce myself as a career educator. My job is to identify, develop, and bring out the best in individuals. My favorite side job has been coaching and leading my son’s travel baseball team for the past nine years. I have had the best spot in the world to watch him and kids like Max Horner do what they love, while helping them develop into some high level baseball players.

I worked in sales a few times before I got my teaching license. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in communications and marketing, so I know what it takes to try and sell a person on a product or an idea. The problem was, that I never really found anything I believed in or loved to sell. I hated the idea of trying to sell someone on something for the sole purpose of padding my own pockets. That is why I wanted to get into the world of teaching and coaching. I wanted be able to impact people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

It is also why I am writing this message now. I know what Max has to offer a baseball program at the next level. I know how important continuing his baseball career beyond high school is to him. So, I’ve come full circle because it is my goal to help sell anyone that isn’t sure or isn’t convinced about who Max is as a ballplayer, that they will be missing out on landing a great person who happens to be a really good baseball player.

So, before I get into things, let me clarify what Max is not:

1. Max is not a freak athlete. He’s not going to run a sub 7 second 60 yard dash or put up an exit velocity of 100 MPH. However, he will run anything down in the gaps, steal a base when needed, and doesn’t get overmatched by a good fastball.
2. Max is not a launch angle guy. He looks to hit balls line to line and shorten up when he has to. He will take the elevated pitch over the fence, but he’s not looking to lift everything.

If you’re still reading, then let me tell you what makes Max special and why I’ll go to battle with him any day with him in our outfield and middle of the lineup against any team in the country:

1. Max is a leader. We had a good team at the youth levels, but we took off at 14U when Max joined because of his leadership. He has the ability to communicate with his coaches and all of his teammates when needed. He is the first voice in any team huddle, and he is often the last voice. ALL of his teammates respect him because he respects them and the game. He knows when a teammate needs to be picked up or when they need to be left alone.
2. Max is a tremendous teammate. Some leaders are not the greatest teammates, but Max genuinley cares about everyone on our roster. When he comes into your program, he will get to know everyone. He will learn from the upperclassmen while working to mold his classmates into future leaders. Max will pick up all of the baseballs when asked, but he’ll help someone else when he isn’t asked. He doesn’t let his own success overshadow a teammate that might be struggling, but he also doesn’t let his struggles bring down the team. https://twitter.com/YourGoshenNews/status/1516902808624283654
3. Max is one heck of a hitter. https://twitter.com/JukeboxTooly/status/1516396220494880771 He has hit in the middle of our lineup since he joined our team 4 years ago. He hit in the middle of his high school lineup as a sophomore and started as a freshman. https://twitter.com/canesGL2024/status/1546895061627146242 He uses the entire field as a hitter with a short, compact swing. He always hits the ball where it is pitched, which makes him a tough out. He struck out 8 times in 97 plate appearances the summer of 2022 with a .414 BA and 1.089 OPS. When he faces high velocity, he will shorten up and simplify his swing. He had multiple 94 MPH exit velos in the fall at the Canes Scout Weekend. https://twitter.com/PBRIndiana/status/1576580632964399104
4. As Max has become more and more committed to the weigh room, his power is starting to emerge. He had 4 home runs during his high school season. https://twitter.com/maxhorner11/status/1517987996762521600 A number of balls that went for doubles last season will be home runs in the future with his added strength. https://twitter.com/maxhorner11/status/1518739924006150145 Max has always been a consistent doubles hitter, and he doesn’t try to hit home runs. However, he has a good amount of balls short hop the fence. If a coach wanted to slightly tweak his swing to get a little more consistent launch, Max could be a guy that hits between 5-10 homeruns a year at the college level.
5. Max is a plus defender. While he is not a sub 7 second 60 yard dash runner, he can go get a baseball. Max rarely takes a wrong step or inefficient route in the outfield. He is positioned well and captains our outfield. He makes sure that his corner guys know where he is playing and helps position them accordingly as well. Max’s arm continues to gain strength with an outfield velo of 84MPH, and he knows which base to throw the ball to in all situations. Max does not give teams extra bases by making over-aggressive throws from the outfield.

I am putting this together because I believe Max is still undervalued as a recruit in the 2024 class. I am willing to stake the reputation of our organization behind this kid. I would ask you to speak to the director of our organization, Brian Blondell, about Max. (canesgreatlakes@gmail.com or 574-310-3924) You would also get high praise on him from our assistant coach and player at Indiana Wesleyan University, Tyler Bortone. (574-855-8423) Another point of contact would be longtime assistant coach, Tim Trenerry (574-339-6105) whose son is commited to Purdue University.

This kid will always have a special place in my heart, and I will fight for him to play at the school of his choice at the next level. If you decide to bring him on board, I know you will look back on what a great decision and addition that was for your program.

Mike Gallo Head Coach Canes Great Lakes

574-850-8808 mike.gallo314@mikegallo314

@canesGL2024

https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/profiles/IN/John-Oliver-3168792405

Allow me to introduce myself as a career educator. My job is to identify, develop, and bring out the best in individuals. My favorite side job has been coaching and leading my son’s travel baseball team for the past nine years. I have had the best spot in the world to watch him and kids like John Oliver do what they love, while helping them develop into some high level baseball players.

I worked in sales a few times before I got my teaching license. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in communications and marketing, so I know what it takes to try and sell a person on a product or an idea. The problem was, that I never really found anything I believed in or loved to sell. I hated the idea of trying to sell someone on something for the sole purpose of padding my own pockets. That is why I wanted to get into the world of teaching and coaching. I wanted be able to impact people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

It is also why I am writing this message now. I know what John has to offer a baseball program at the next level. I know how important continuing his baseball career beyond high school is to him. So, I’ve come full circle because it is my goal to help sell anyone that isn’t sure or isn’t convinced about who John is as a ballplayer, that they will be missing out on landing a great person who happens to be a really good baseball player.

So, before I get into things, let me clarify what John is not:

1. John is not a showcase warrior. He will not have one showcase skill that is going to explode off the stats compared to other kids.
2. John is not a power hitter.

If you’re still reading, then let me tell you what makes John special and why I’ll go to battle with him any day with him at shortstop against any team in the country:

1. The reason that John is not rated higher in the PBR rankings is likely do to the lack of perceived arm strength. I’m here to tell you I have seen plenty of shortstops with great arms that cannot field the ball or have such terrible footwork that they struggle to put the ball consistently where they want across the diamond. John is simply one of the smoother fielders you will find in this class, and his internal clock and timing is like no kid I have ever seen. He rarely wastes any movements and always has enough on the ball to beat every runner. He knows when to rush and went to be patient. In short, he has all of the mental intagibles to play any infield position.

It doesn't matter which direction, SS @jjoliv3r @Baseball_Marian is smooth. Quick first step, no wasted movements, quick & clean exchanges, with accuracy across the diamond. Hitting .420 with 5 doubles in 63 PAs.@PBRIndiana @jon_guzzo @PNW_Baseball @EIU_Baseball @BUncommitted pic.twitter.com/v3aSh7fcpg

— Canes Great Lakes Gold 2024 (@canesGL2024) June 29, 2022

A lot of times we talk about @jjoliv3r hitting, but the @Baseball_Marian SS is so smooth as he attacks this chopper and makes a clean exchange and off balance throw to get a fast runner. Not many make this play, let alone with the ease he displayed. @PBRIndiana @BUncommitted pic.twitter.com/5TZReaokpC

— Canes Great Lakes Gold 2024 (@canesGL2024) June 13, 2022

2. John does not have eye popping size or exit velocity, but what he has are uncanny bat to ball skills with the ability to find consistent barrels and gaps. John has always been one of our leading hitters for average and extra base hits. He has unbelievable coil and leverage for his size. His increasing strength has only lead him to consistently perform against our tough schedule and increased pitching velocity.

2020 .345 Avg 1.031 OPS 8XBH

2021 .384 Avg .952 OPS 9XBH

2022 .372 Avg .941 OPS 8XBH

3. You won’t find many guys you want at the plate in the big moment besides John. He does not get fazed and usually rises to the moment. He started garning praise from recruiting services because every time they would show up he would show out. He made first team all conference as a sophomore because other teams quickly learned that the bigger the game was the more he stood out, including going 4 for 4 in the sectional championship game.

https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/profiles/IN/John-Oliver-3168792405

4. He doesn’t seek praise. John is a very quiet kid that goes about his work and business in a very unassuming way. He will come into your program and go about his business without constantly trying to draw your attention or the attention of his teammates. He knows when he is on top of his game and when he needs to step it up.

5. He’s a competitor. While John goes about his business quietly, he has a competitive fire that most don’t see until they get to know him. He takes making an out or an error personally. If someone challenges him on a baseball field, he will make a note to show them how good and how tough he is the next at bat or chance he gets in the field. He will steal a base or get down a bunt to get a win for his team.

I am putting this together because I believe John is still undervalued as a recruit in the 2024 class. I am willing to stake the reputation of our organization behind this kid. I would ask you to speak to the director of our organization, Brian Blondell, about John. (canesgreatlakes@gmail.com or 574-310-3924) You would also get high praise on him from our assistant coach and player at Indiana Wesleyan University, Tyler Bortone. (574-855-8423) Another point of contact would be longtime assistant coach, Tim Trenerry (574-339-6105) whose son is commited to Purdue University.

This kid will always have a special place in my heart, and I will fight for him to play at the school of his choice at the next level. If you decide to bring him on board, I know you will look back on what a great decision and addition that was for your program.

Mike Gallo Head Coach Canes Great Lakes

574-850-8808 mike.gallo314@mikegallo314

@canesGL2024

Allow me to introduce myself as a career educator. My job is to identify, develop, and bring out the best in individuals. My favorite side job has been coaching and leading my son’s travel baseball team for the past nine years. I have had the best spot in the world to watch him and kids like Jack Urbanski do what they love, while helping them develop into some high level baseball players.

I worked in sales a few times before I got my teaching license. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in communications and marketing, so I know what it takes to try and sell a person on a product or an idea. The problem was, that I never really found anything I believed in or loved to sell. I hated the idea of trying to sell someone on something for the sole purpose of padding my own pockets. That is why I wanted to get into the world of teaching and coaching. I wanted be able to impact people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

It is also why I am writing this message now. I know what Jack has to offer a baseball program at the next level. I know Jack would love to continue his baseball career beyond high school. So, I’ve come full circle because it is my goal to help sell anyone that isn’t sure or isn’t convinced about who Jack is as a ballplayer, that they will be missing out on landing a great person who happens to be a really good baseball player.

So, before I get into things, let me clarify what Jack is not:

1. Jack is not a kid who is going to jump out at you physically. He has been overlooked and discounted because of his size his entire career.
2. Jack is not a kid that does anything on a baseball field that is going to “wow” you. However, he is one of the most steady, consistent kids you’ll ever coach.

If you’re still reading, then let me tell you what makes Jack special and why I’ll go to battle with him any day with him in my lineup against any team in the country:

1. Ever since he was eight years old, Jack has had an insight into the game that is beyond his years. He can identify any pitchers tendancies for setting up hitters or holding runners quicker than just about any ballplayer you’ll find. He can remember how a kid or team pitched or hit against us from years ago. He is always perfectly positioned based off what our pitchers are throwing and a hitter’s approach and swing. He’s not the fastest kid, but his stolen base percentage is always one of the highest on the team because of his ability to read pitchers and take great lead-offs. He is incredibly coachable, but he can be utilized as another coach on the field because of his accute attention to detail and ability to communicate it to his teammates.
2. Most teams and coaches overlook Jack because of his small physical stature, but he is pound for pound one of the strongest players on our team. He has really good bat speed and solid arm strength. Teams often think they can overpower him at the plate, but he stays within himself to always make solid contact. He had an outstanding summer of 2022 with the bat, and uses all fields.https://twitter.com/JackUrbanski4/status/1551676333289361409
3. Jack is a positionless player, in a good way. His best position on a baseball field is second base, but he has logged a ton of innings for us at third base as well. He is very capable of playing shortstop, as he has in high school. When needed, he will jump behind the plate as well. Multiple college coaches have told me how much they like him because “he’s just a ballplayer.” Wherever he is on the diamond, he is always communicating with his teammates, and everyone else just seems to feel a bit more comfortable with him next to them and things run more smoothly with him out on the field. Offensively, he is a player that has gotten a lot of at bats in the leadoff spot, the last spot, and in the 6-7 spots in our lineup. His approach at the plate translates to plugging him into a variety of spots in the lineup. He had a .494 OB% with 11 walks in 95 plate appearances this past summer.
4. Jack has a bit of a competitive edge to him that is fearless. He is never overwhelmed at the plate, and he’s not afraid to let some teams know about it. Jack does a great job of walking the line between confident and cocky. He will not come into your program and be overwhelmed by the size, strength, and speed of the upperclassmen in your program.https://twitter.com/canesGL2024/status/1546875390068678656
5. Jack has some of the better hand-eye coordination you’ll find in a player. In the eight seasons I have coached Jack, he has never struck out more than 7 times in a season. Last year he only struck out 4 times in 95 plate appearances. He is a great player to utilize in hit and runs, and I cannot recall a situation where I asked him to get a bunt down that he did not execute. https://twitter.com/canesGL2024/status/1541879929192734731

I am putting this together because I believe Jack is not on any recruiting radars as a recruit in the 2024 class because of his size and the fact he has not done any showcases. He often chooses not to showcase because his profile and numbers will never come close to reflecting the quality of ballplayer he is. I am willing to stake the reputation of our organization behind this kid. I would ask you to speak to the director of our organization, Brian Blondell, about Jack. (canesgreatlakes@gmail.com or 574-310-3924) You would also get high praise on him from our assistant coach and player at Indiana Wesleyan University, Tyler Bortone. (574-855-8423) Another point of contact would be longtime assistant coach, Tim Trenerry (574-339-6105) whose son is commited to Purdue University.

This kid will always have a special place in my heart, and I will fight for him to play at the school of his choice at the next level. If you decide to bring him on board, I know you will look back on what a great decision and addition that was for your program. He is a future coach and “program kid” that can/will fill a number of holes on your roster.

Mike Gallo Head Coach Canes Great Lakes

574-850-8808 mike.gallo314@mikegallo314

@canesGL2024

Allow me to introduce myself as a career educator. My job is to identify, develop, and bring out the best in individuals. My favorite side job has been coaching and leading my son’s travel baseball team for the past nine years. I have had the best spot in the world to watch him and kids like Cam Bortone do what they love, while helping them develop into some high level baseball players.

I worked in sales a few times before I got my teaching license. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in communications and marketing, so I know what it takes to try and sell a person on a product or an idea. The problem was, that I never really found anything I believed in or loved to sell. I hated the idea of trying to sell someone on something for the sole purpose of padding my own pockets. That is why I wanted to get into the world of teaching and coaching. I wanted be able to impact people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

It is also why I am writing this message now. I know what Cam has to offer a baseball program at the next level. I know how important continuing his baseball career beyond high school is to him. So, I’ve come full circle because it is my goal to help sell anyone that isn’t sure or isn’t convinced about who Cam is as a ballplayer, that they will be missing out on landing a great person who happens to be a really good baseball player.

So, before I get into things, let me clarify what Cam is not:

1. He’s not your prototypical college firstbasemen. He is not huge in stature and that proverbial big target. However, he has outstanding footwork and soft hands.
2. He’s not a burner on the basepaths. Cam is not going to blow anyone away with his speed, but he is one of the smartest baserunners I have ever been around.

If you’re still reading, then let me tell you what makes Cam special and why I’ll go to battle with him any day with him in my lineup against any team in the country:

1. From the time I started coaching him when he was eight years old, Cam has always had a baseball IQ that is above his peers. Other teams often look at him as a kid that will not steal a base or take the extra one when the ball is in play, but Cam always uses that to his advantage. Whether it is getting a perfectly timed jump to steal a base, going first to third when most teams expect him to pull up at second base, or picking up his third base coach at the perfect time between first and second, he is such an efficient base runner that improves any teams offensive efficiency. He even does a great job breaking towards second to get an opposing team’s catcher to raise up out of his crouch early and not frame a pitch. He has great feet, and is not a slow runner.
2. Cam has always had such a great perspective when it comes to the game of baseball and helping his teammates. He never gets down or pouts when he is struggling. When he makes an out he immediately comes back to the dugout and shares information with his teammates. It’s hard to tell if he’s 0-4 or 3-4 in a ballgame. He is one of the most genuine kids I’ve ever been around in terms of cheering for and celebrating his teammates success. He is beloved by ALL of his teammates because of how much he works to make them better and cheers for their success. If he is needed to catch, he’ll hop behind the plate. If he’s asked to close out a game, he’ll hop on the mound. If he gets DHed for, he’ll never complain. He simply shows up and does what is asked of him. Just check out his Twitter page! The kid likes and shares any success his teammates are having.
3. Cam is just a darn good hitter. Last summer he hit .382 with a .995 OPS and 8XBH in 76 ABs. In the summer of 2021 he hit .333 with a .921 OPS and 9 XBH in 81 ABS. He is able to use the entire field, but he has good pull side power. He is also a kid that does not strikeout! Last summer he struck out 5 times in 93 plate appearances. The previous summer he struck out 9 times in 107 plate appearances. He has not done any PBR showcases, but his exit velocity is in the low 90’s, so he does not get overwhelmed or overmatched by velocity on the mound either. https://twitter.com/PBROhioScout/status/1555660497042583552 https://twitter.com/canesGL2024/status/1539291443872911361 https://twitter.com/canesGL2024/status/1541505627582783492
4. Despite his smaller stature, Cam is a plus defender. He has excellent footwork around the bag, and really soft hands picking balls out of the dirt. He is also very adept at going back on balls into foul territory, and good range moving to his right off the bag. As a former catcher, he also has a very short quick release on pivots and relays.
5. Cam is showing his commitment to the game by dropping nearly 40 pounds since last summer. He is entering the 2022 baseball season in the best shape of his playing career. His older brother plays at Indiana Wesleyan, so he is accustomed to baseball style workouts to improve his strength, flexibility, and speed. He often gets overlooked because of his physique, but he continues to improve in those areas and will flourish with a college diet and strength coach.

I am putting this together because I believe Cam is absolutely flying under the radar as a recruit in the 2024 class. I am willing to stake the reputation of our organization behind this kid. I would ask you to speak to the director of our organization, Brian Blondell, about Cam. Another point of contact would be longtime assistant coach, Tim Trenerry (574-339-6105) whose son is commited to Purdue University.

This kid will always have a special place in my heart, and I will fight for him to play at the school of his choice at the next level. If you decide to bring him on board, I know you will look back on what a great decision and addition that was for your program. You are going to add a hitter and player that other teams in your conference will wonder where he came from in a couple of years.

Mike Gallo Head Coach Canes Great Lakes

574-850-8808 mike.gallo314@mikegallo314

@canesGL2024

Maybe some of you have wondered the same thing. However, I didn’t give it much thought until recently. The simplest answer is that I like to do it, but after I’ve given it some thought, there is much more behind my writings and their purpose.

One of the first things that came to my mind regarding the time I spend putting my thoughts into words that may never be read is that, maybe they will be read. When I’m sitting at my computer, I am not thinking about an audience or who is going to read this. I am thinking about philosophies that have shaped my life, issues that form my opinions, or experiences that have impacted me. I don’t expect others to conjure the same emotions as I have or to reflect as deeply on my experiences, but I do want to share them. The purpose? Well, it’s out there for others to see. As I’ve turned 46, I am aware that I have more than likely lived over half of my life. In fact, another 30 years would be a good life, so my goal is to leave my tangible impact and voice on this world. Maybe some day after I am gone, my family will be able to look back at some of my work and reflect on the person that I am and was. Maybe others will find my voice and words one day after I have stopped writing and they will have a positive impact on them in some way.

Besides trying to leave a lasting legacy or fingerprint that I was on this earth, I also like to use this platform to share my thoughts. Despite writing these articles and blogs, I am a pretty quiet person for those that know me. To those that read my blogs, it is easy to assume that as a writer I always have a lot to say. However, it is quite the contrary. In a group of people, I am usually one of the last to speak. Part of it is do to inherent shyness, but the other is because I often like to listen and formulate my thoughts. Sometimes I never even get around to fully forming my thoughts or words in the moment. Yet, as an introspective person, I am usually dwelling on a situation or conversation long after it took place. This format allows me to fully formulate my thoughts and words. I can edit them and reflect on them. I can control them and delete them if I don’t like how they are coming across. In person, those things are difficult for me or anyone else to do.

It probably seems laughable to a people who see me constantly sharing these blogs in their timelines, but I also hate being the center of attention. I get made fun of because I’m not one to make a big deal out of birthdays. That is due to the fact that I just cannot stand being the focus of others. I always like to deflect or defer to others. I don’t believe that I should be celebrated for just being me, but I’m learning to accept that I need to be respectful to what is important to others. The same goes for Christmas. I always hate opening my gifts with everyone watching, so I usually try to sneak them when nobody is paying attention. I just don’t like eyes on me or people watching my reaction. I hate hurting people’s feelings, and is there anything worse than not loving a gift someone has purchased for you?

But, back to why I write these blogs. I write these because I want my kids to one day have a better understanding of who I am and was as a person. I hope that they take the wisdom I can give them know and apply it in their lives when necessary, but if I’m not here tomorrow I want them to have my words and guidance their forever. I want them to always be able to express themselves and understand that you can do that in different ways. This is my way of expression, but you can do it face to face. You can say it over the phone. You can say it with your actions. I just want my kids to know that if there were times I didn’t express myself, it’s because I couldn’t find the right words in the moment.

The same goes for my wife. Sometimes we have difficulty communicating with each other. Our personalities are sometimes too similar, so we bottle up our emotions. The person that I can be the most vulnerable too is also the person I have the most difficulty opening up to at times. I struggle to show my vulnerability and feelings face to face with her, but I want her to be able to understand how I feel about certain things by reading them in my words and my format. Writing these somehow makes me feel less vulnerable to her while getting closer to her.

When I write down my thoughts, I can literally share them with the world. Once I hit publish, I don’t know where my words go or who they will impact. As the perpetual helper, I always hope that my words will resonate with someone I don’t know. It is great hearing comments from people close to me that read my posts, but it is even more rewarding seeing that people I have never met comment or like my posts. Sometimes I assume that people I know don’t even bother to read these, and then in a conversation weeks later they’ll bring up something I wrote. I LOVE knowing that my thoughts in one moment resonated with someone long after I wrote them.

Writing is an art. It has taken me a while to appreciate that. I just assumed that anyone could do it. However, I am finally starting to realize that it takes skill and craft to make this work. Much like I marvel at how others can draw, paint, or build something with basic tools, writing is a craft. It takes time to get right. It takes practice to get better. And, your style is uniquely your own. It doesn’t have to be fancy or elaborate, it is just a chance to make your mark on the world. Let someone know that you were here. They say that all of our words are still traveling out there infinitely in space, but with writing I know they’ll always be there for people to read and re-read.

This post may not be as thoughful or thought-provoking as others, but I wrote this as much for you and I wrote it for myself. Sometimes I feel like I am wasting my time sitting at a keyboard. However, as I get older I am slowly realizing that this time I spend at a keyboard is preserving time.

𝓟𝓵𝓪𝔂𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓹𝓸𝓽𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽

Jake Mulvehill was a Standout performer at Canes Scout Weekend. 6’0-185 pound frame. The southpaw commanded 3 pitches for a strike. Good balance throughout his delivery.

👤PROFILE https://t.co/zA4bxieGQY pic.twitter.com/JgkxFpPjq3

— PBR Indiana (@PBRIndiana) November 3, 2022

Allow me to introduce myself as a career educator. My job is to identify, develop, and bring out the best in individuals. My favorite side job has been coaching and leading my son’s travel baseball team for the past nine years. I have had the best spot in the world to watch him and kids like Jake Mulvehill do what they love, while helping them develop into some high level baseball players.

I worked in sales a few times before I got my teaching license. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in communications and marketing, so I know what it takes to try and sell a person on a product or an idea. The problem was, that I never really found anything I believed in or loved to sell. I hated the idea of trying to sell someone on something for the sole purpose of padding my own pockets. That is why I wanted to get into the world of teaching and coaching. I wanted be able to impact people’s lives and help them reach their potential.

It is also why I am writing this message now. I know what Jake has to offer a baseball program at the next level. I know how important continuing his baseball career beyond high school is to him. So, I’ve come full circle because it is my goal to help sell anyone that isn’t sure or isn’t convinced about who Jake is as a ballplayer, that they will be missing out on landing a great person who happens to be a really good pitcher.

So, before I get into things, let me clarify what Jake is not:

1. Overpowering against an entire lineup of high level hitters. Jake isn’t going to rare back and blow the ball by college hitters multiple times through the lineup.
2. If he doesn’t have good stuff or command, he’s going to be hit. Jake has command of multiple pitches, but if he is a little off against a high level team he’s going to get hit. However, he will always limit the damage and avoid the huge inning.

If you’re still reading, then let me tell you what makes Jake special and why I’ll go to battle with him any day on the mound against any team in the country:

1. He will not be outworked. All I hear from other coaches in our organization about Jake is that every time they are at our facility they see him in there working or lifting. While he has constantly put in the work he added over 40 pounds of muscle since starting high school. He also works in silence. He doesn’t post constant pictures or videos broadcasting all of the work he’s doing to get noticed by others. He knows that hard work is done when others are not watching or asking. He does it for himself, not for the approval of others. He also takes great care of his arm with conditioning and armcare. However, he also puts in all of the work on his own because he has never been the top guy on our team growing up. At various points growing up, he was probably in the bottom third on our roster in terms of production. While he was never at risk of being cut, he also understood that if he wanted to continue seeing the field and significant playing time he needed to start putting in the extra work outside of practices and games. He was teammates for years with a kid that has commited to Purdue University and another player who has hit 90 MPH and commited to Indiana Wesleyan. He has worked hard to maximize his potential and to be considered the top guy on our team, and last summer he undoubtedly became one of the top pitchers on our team. He will accept his role when he enters your program as a freshmen, but he will bust his tail to be top a contributor before he exits.
2. He is a pitcher. Yes, he has developed into a guy with a good arm because of the work he has put into the weightroom, but growing up he rarely could just throw the ball by most high level kids and teams. He had to learn how to hit spots and mix his pitches. As a result, he is a strike-thrower that has great command. He can command multiple pitches, and knows how to set up hitters. He also has been conditioned to start. When you see him hit a “max fastball” number, understand that he is going to sit right around there the entire outing. We have the pitching charts to demonstrate that there is not much of a dip between pitch #1 and pitch #85 in velocity. When you see that he is hitting 87-85 MPH, that is where he is going to stay for 5-6 innings. Bottom line, you will not have to teach him a ton of mechanical refinement to increase velocity or work on command. While he may not have the raw talent of a kid already hitting 90MPH, I would trust him to get outs against the same lineups than a kid who throws 90 down the middle or with minimal command of secondary pitches.
3. In travel baseball, we have faced a number of guys that PBR loves because of the max fastball, but by the second time through the lineup they have come down 3-4 MPH from the first inning. The “max fastball” is something that cannot be taught or coached, but maintaining velocity throughout an outing is something that is learned from developing consistent mechanics and hours in the weightroom. Jake also has a fastball that jumps at you because of his high spin rate. In addition to that, he has the natural lefty run that allows him to get plenty of swings and misses and weak contact off his fastball.
4. He is also a great culture guy. He is a tough-minded, hard-nosed guy, but he is also the first to congratulate his teammates when they do well. He is always looking to pick other guys up and celebrate their success. However, he will use others success to motivate himself to do better. When he comes to your program, he will not be intimidated by others talents and success. He will use that to drive himself to get to that level, but he’ll be in the dugout cheering them on instead of hoping they fail so he can get an opportunity. He is a fantastic listener, and he will do whatever you ask or instruct him to work on to get better. He is also fantastic with younger players that look up to him. His high school coaches would also attest that he does a good job of working with the underclassmen to develop culture and inclusion.
5. Some players are workout warriors but struggle on the field, and then there are others that step up and perform when eyes are on them and/or in the big moment. Mulvehill went from being one of our better depth options to a stud these past two years. I watched him throw a complete game in the Sectional Championship for his high school against top 10 LaPorte this spring. The previous summer he outperformed a kid who is now signed as a pitcher for Butler University. https://gc.com/game-60f2a4465d810ecc77000025/stats In the fall of 2021, he faced the Indiana Bulls Black and went 4.1 IP 2H 2ER 6K’s 3BBs against the top team in the state. This summer, Mulvehill threw a complete game gem against the Indy Rawlings Tigers going 6IP 4H 1ER 7Ks 4BB. Later in the summer he took down the GBR Rays who advanced to the Elite Eight of the ABC’s at Grand Park when we faced them in bracket play in Milwaukee going 6IP 6H 1ER 8Ks 3BB. After he struggled when we got PBR Indiana to come watch him the first time, he responded by throwing a perfect inning and running his fastball up to 85MPH at Canes Scout Weekend in October with scouts and coaches present. Since then, his velocity has only continued to climb as he hit 86.9 MPH at the JKR Battle of the States at the end of January. He is a proven winner at the high school level and in the summer. https://app.virtualcombine.com/profile/cddb6056-60f3-4c00-a6e7-2279a19910a2/photos/expanded/video/5b799470-ecb2-11ec-90ed-ad98dcdc0c3e/baseball/f2a774e0-7587-11e9-ad24-8ff64eb19f45

6. In addition to what he does on the field, he is also an outstanding, honor roll student.

I am putting this together because I believe Jake is still undervalued as a recruit in the 2024 class. I am willing to stake the reputation of our organization behind this kid. I would ask you to speak to the director of our organization, Brian Blondell, about Jake. (canesgreatlakes@gmail.com or 574-310-3924) You would also get high praise on him from our assistant coach and player at Indiana Wesleyan University, Tyler Bortone. (574-855-8423) Another point of contact would be longtime assistant coach, Tim Trenerry (574-339-6105) whose son is commited to Purdue University.

As of this writing, Mulvehill was up to 86.9 last week at the JKR Battle of the States podcast. Here are his stats from the past two summer seasons on the mound. In 2021, he was our #3 or 4 starter, but by this summer he emerged as our ace by the end of the year. Another compliment to his hard work and persistence. He continued his dominance at numerous Division 1 camps in the fall including: St. Louis, Wright State, and Pennsylvania. Here are his stats from the past two summers:

2021 34IP 6-1 24H 28Ks 19BB 2.47 ERA 1.324 WHIP .213 BAA

2022 32.1IP 4-0 26H 40Ks 15BBs 2.17 ERA 1.268 WHIP .224 BAA

LHP @MulvehillJake has been up to 82 w/fastball that plays up due to his high spin rate. Gets in on LHH & by RHH. Mixes a curve & change

CG W vs Indy Rawlings Tigers 21.1 IP 1.97 ERA 1.17 WHIP 24K/9BB .205 BAA 64.3 Strike%@FlatgroundApp @jon_guzzo @BUncommitted @therealRoof3 pic.twitter.com/dLZjDgsRbH

— Canes Great Lakes Gold 2024 (@canesGL2024) July 12, 2022

This kid will always have a special place in my heart, and I will fight for him to play at the school of his choice at the next level. If you decide to bring him on board, I know you will look back on what a great decision and addition that was for your program. You won’t hear a word from his parents either, as they are both great hard working, family-oriented people.

Mike Gallo Head Coach Canes Great Lakes

574-850-8808 mike.gallo314@mikegallo314

@canesGL2024

It’s amazing what you’ll learn in life if you stop and listen to others. I have always thought of myself as a reflective person that is able to separate my emotions from my actions. However, when my personal emotions are strained, but I am still in a position of leadership, it sometimes becomes difficult to fight the human nature to always react in the moment. My “Cool Cat” nature butts up against my instinct to always default to toughness and the “just do it” mentality.

I always look at life with the ‘next play’ mentality. No matter what you’re going through, don’t get caught up feeling bad about something that didn’t go your way because like in sports, life is always going to throw you a next play that you have to respond to. I get frustrated when people tell me how hard something is or that they don’t like what they have to do. I automatically default to the ‘next play’ mode. If it’s hard, then you should stop wasting time complaining and buckle down. If you don’t like what’s being asked of you, it won’t be the last time in life. If it is perpetual, it is on you to make a change. Just like in sports, nobody is going to stop and feel sorry for you. The next play is going to happen, and are you going to continue complaining and feeling sorry for yourself, or are you going to rise up and meet it head on? Like I have said to a number of my teams, “Are you going to sit around and take it, or are you going to respond? They’re not sitting over there feeling sorry for you. You signed up to play this game, so you can either quit and find something else to do, or you can stop feeling sorry for yourself and meet the challenge.”

Well, that mentality can be applied when it comes to sports and work. It is what separates the good teams from the great teams. It is what separates the good players from the great players. It is what separates the workers from the leaders. The good teams and players do just fine until adversity hits. However, when they reach a level where other teams are just as talented and the other kids work just as hard, the good players start looking for excuses or accept that the other team might be better than them. The great players see the bar and decide that they now have to raise their level of work and expectation for themselves. It’s why so many kids quit sports when they get to high school and college. In the workforce, leaders see problems and challenges as opportunities. Other workers see problems and challenges as reasons to seek other employment opportunities or blame others for their problems.

I have been in both roles. I have left and quit positions because I felt like the challenge was out of my control. When the hard work wasn’t being recognized or the expectations were not rational, I decided to move on to places where they were. I also left places because they were not pursuing excellence. It is hard for me to work someplace where average is acceptable. It is really easy for some people to look good because of the students or others they are surrounded by. It’s why I often come back to the quote above from my favorite book, “Toughness.” Hard work might seem like punishment, but it is required to be excellent.

However, recently I have been dealing with some things where toughness wasn’t going to fix a problem or make it better. Hard work wouldn’t resolve the issue or make it go away, but that is where the perspective of others comes in. My aunt, who recently defeated a cancer diagnosis, sent me a beautiful note on my birthday. She is a talented writer, and quite introspective like myself. She told me that her new word was, “pause.” These were the subsequent words she shared with me:

“If I’m under pressure, I’m going to pause for a few minutes and think of just TODAY – this one day – and what I can do with it.  I believe that pausing at times, even for a few seconds, can be a major difference in how I react.  I’m generally good at handling my emotions, but factors like added stress or a bad day, can change my ability to pause at any given time.  But, if I work on pausing before I speak or act, I’ll create a habit of thinking first.  Good habits are always key to any success I’ve ever had and I need to remember that!”

While I think that I am pretty good about doing this, her words and experience further resonated with me. I usually do a pretty good job of listening and thinking before I respond, but how often do I ‘pause?’ How often do I let my existing stress dictate a decision or a reaction without pausing? How often do I default to toughness and expect others around me to do the same, instead of pausing? I know I haven’t been as good in these areas as I would like to be recently. I have been defaulting to trying to tough things out and perpetuating that to others instead of pausing.

I am a flawed person and leader, everyone is. As a leader, I need to be tough when it is not easy. I need to be steadfast when others are uncertain. I need to be calm when others are emotional. I need to listen when others speak. I need to accept criticism when others voice concerns. However, the biggest thing I need to do as a leader, coach, and parent is pause and understand that I cannot control everything and being tough doesn’t make things go away. In fact, being tough often means you take on more than you’re capable of until you realize you’re at your breaking point. Lately, I have allowed personal and work stress to interfere with my ability to pause. I know I haven’t been myself, but I didn’t have anyone that could give me the words and advice I needed, until a few weeks ago when I received the well needed reminder in a birthday email.

What wonderful advice I was given by my aunt. We should all be so blessed to have someone like this in our lives that is not afraid to share such meaningful words with us. Can you imagine if we all were able to follow this philosophy with fidelity:

God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason – listen more & speak less!  

“So to sum it all up, wisdom means doing NOW what I’ll be happy with later on.  Be determined to discipline myself to do what’s right – no matter how I feel, what I think or what everybody else is doing.  You know, taking a step back and realizing how lucky I am.  My daily mental “To Do” list:  

* Count my blessings

* Practice kindness

* Let go of what I can’t control (that’s a hard one)

* Listen to my heart

* Be productive, yet calm

* Just breathe

Such wonderful wisdom and words from a beautiful woman. These words and advice arrived at a time in my life when I really needed them personally. Professionally, I have always tried to model this; however, sometimes my toughness gets in the way. Thanks to this great reminder, I will continue to make sure I ‘pause’ and really reflect on my blessings before dwelling on my stressors and triggers. I need to remember that when people come to me with complaints or hardships, it is because they see me as a person they can trust to resolve them, not necessarily as the source of the problem. I think if we all did that, this world would be a much more beautiful place.

I always pause and take in a great sunset or an inspirational moment at work. Yet, I don’t always pause to give thanks for the things I take for granted; we rarely do. The reason we take them for granted is because we have never to had step back and realize how lucky you are in the first place. Do we pause and appreciate good health, or do we wait until something goes wrong to look back and think how good we had it? Do we pause after we’ve had a good day at work, or do we only dwell on the things and days that cause us stress? Do we pause while we’re enjoying an experience with friends and family, or do we only lament the times where finances or commitments keep us from doing something we want? Do we pause and enjoy when others around us are smiling and content, or do we only react when called upon in difficult times?

Part of being a leader, coach, and parent means that my decisions are always criticized and leave others displeased at times, but I promise it will never be for lack of thought on my part. I do in fact pause to take in the good moments at my job and with my family, because I am learning to never take them for granted. I am grateful for the advise and reminder to pause from my wise aunt. Hopefully this message resonates with you in the same way.