Star in the making
Zammarelli named California League all-star
Lincoln native Nick Zammarelli is selected to play in the California League all-star game.
bmcgair@pawtuckettimes.com
When Nick Zammarelli decided to spend the offseason living in Arizona and training at the Seattle Mariners’ spring-training facility, the Lincoln native undoubtedly had visions of the good news he received on Sunday
A team meeting was called where the owner of the Class A Advanced Modesto Nuts was also in attendance. Modesto manager Mitch Canham told the players that if they heard their name called to stand. When Canham rattled off “Zammarelli,” the local product couldn’t help but smile.
That’s how Zammarelli learned he was an all-star for the first time in his pro career. He’ll represent Modesto at next week’s California League All-Star Game as a starting outfielder, the genesis of which stems from those winter days in picturesque Arizona that went a long way to placing him on the all-star track.
“I talked to one of the Mariners’ strength coaches at the end of last season and he mentioned how the (spring-training complex in Peoria) is open all year around. My thought was to live there for just about the entire offseason to get bigger and stronger,” Zammarelli said when reached Monday shortly after the California League officially announced the 2018 all-star recipients. “I think it really helped because I was around a good group of guys and we pushed each other every day to get better. Also, the weather makes it so much easier to do the sprint and agility exercises that I need to stay healthy.”
The California League All-Star Game company that Zammarelli associates with these days is a testament to his continued development as a player. Health was also a major component in his midseason nod, something that wasn’t the case last year when hamstring issues contributed to a rough start at the plate when he suited up for Single-A Clinton – .180 batting average after 100 at-bats. The trying times were a faded memory when the final out was recorded in 2017, which saw Zammarelli wrap up with a very respectable .295 batting average.
Fast forward to this past April, where Zammarelli took to his new baseball surroundings with authority. In 24 games, he batted .360 with a .406 on-base percentage.
“Starting the season the way I did was a big relief and satisfying, knowing that all the hard work I put into the offseason paid off,” Zammarelli said. “Obviously no wants to start the season the way I did last year, but honestly it was a blessing in disguise. I really grew from it and learned that if I can dig myself out of a hole that big, I can pretty much handle all the adversity that this game throws at me.
“Ending last year on such a high note gave me the confidence that I needed for the beginning of the season and I just ran with it.”
Zammarelli was still hitting over .300 as recently as May 29. The day before, the 23-year-old posted the first multi-home run game of his career. Inducted into the Lincoln High School Athletic Hall of Fame last month, Zammarelli went into Monday’s game with a triple slash-line that read .295/.366/.461. He’s driven in 32 runs and hit four homers in 59 games while already establishing a single-season best in triples (five) after never hitting more than two in a campaign dating back to his college days at Elon (N.C.) University.
“Personally, I think the pitching I’ve faced this year has been much better than last year. As you move up the ladder, pitchers get more comfortable working both sides of the plate and throwing all their pitches regardless of the count,” Zammarelli said. “There’s definitely some better arms in this league, too. The other day, the starter we were facing was still hitting 100 miles per hour in the fifth inning.
“Some teams have been trying to jam me with fastballs in and other teams will just try to stay away from me,” he added. “It all comes down to who we are playing.”
For now, Zammarelli still carries three gloves to the ballpark. He played 43 games at third base during his first season in the Mari- ners’ farm system in 2016 but saw that number dwindle to four games last season. After spending most of the 2017 season at first base, Zammarelli has logged just 13 games there thus far. Most of his defensive reps have come in right field (21 games). He’s also appeared in six games in left field and 19 games as Modesto’s designated hitter.
“They still want me getting work at all four corner spots but for the most part this year, I’ve been getting more instruction in the outfield,” Zammarelli said. “Talking with my agent (Joe Rosen), he sees me as an outfielder down the line.”
Before the all-star news, which came on the same day of his twoyear anniversary of getting drafted in the eighth round by Seattle, Zammarelli had toyed with the idea of spending his all-star break in Las Vegas to celebrate a teammate’s birthday. Driving to Lancaster, Calif. to attend the all-star game in person was also possibility, but now he won’t have to buy a ticket.
“Time has definitely flown by and I’m happy where I am at this point in my professional career,” he said. “If I keep working hard and moving up in the system, I’m positive there’s more good things to come.”
Zammarelli expressed gratitude for the unbridled support from his cheering section.
“I couldn’t have done it without the group of guys around me, my friends, and, most importantly, my family who have been with me every step of the way as I chase my dream,” he said.