What does former Ute baseball star Jay Brossman hope to have in common with annual Cy Young candidate Roy Oswalt, Cleveland Indian’s masher Travis Hafner and future Hall-of-Fame catcher Mike Piazza? Well, besides massive amounts of money, which would basically ensure financial security for his children’s children’s children, the former first-base standout is hoping for a shot at a good old-fashioned Cinderella story.
Brossman–recently drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 36th round of Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft–will now begin a long and, more often than not, unsuccessful journey to the major leagues.
“Odds are against him,” said Utah baseball head coach Bill Kinneberg. “But odds are against even the first-round picks. He’s got an opportunity now and hopefully he takes advantage of it.”
If Brossman is looking for inspirational stories to call upon, he need not look any further than the three aforementioned Major League stars. Oswalt, Hafner and Piazza were all low-round draft picks and each has worked his way above all expectations to become well known commodities in the major leagues.
Oswalt, a 23rd-round pick in 1996, has a career ERA of 3.07 and a total of 104 wins in just seven seasons. Piazza, selected in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, has a lifetime batting average of .309 and is the all-time home run leader among catchers.
But when viewing Hafner’s path into the major leagues, it is clear Brossman will likely have to take a similar approach. Both were drafted in an early 30th round (Hafner in the 31st round), both were unheralded defensive players coming out of college, but more importantly, both could hit.
“(Brossman’s) a good hitter,” Kinneberg said. “Possibly, in time, he could hit for power in the pros. Defensively he has some work to do. Much of that will depend on which position he plays, first or third.”
Brossman can also use prior Ute backstop Chris Shelton’s rise to MLB prominence as another example. Shelton, a former 33rd-round draft pick, worked his way from the low A league with the Williamsport Crosscutters to the Detroit Tigers in less than three baseball seasons. Shelton currently plays for the Toledo Mud Hens–Detroit’s AAA affiliate.
Brossman could see some early playing time in Utah with the Orem Owlz, which is one of the Angels’ rookie-level farm clubs.
“I was just hoping he’d get a chance to play,” Kinneberg said. “I really hope he takes advantage of the opportunity.”
Tyler CobbJay Brossman, recently drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, now faces the challenge of making it in the major leagues.