ValleyCats’ newcomer Perry showing off early
TROY » Imagine. You’re a 19 year old baseball player. But, instead of being a freshman in college, you are playing professional baseball, and in your first game since your first official call-up, you hit what your new manager calls “the longest home run of the year.”
Nathan Perry is living that imagination.
“It’s amazing man,” said the young Perry following his official ValleyCats debut. “I played with a lot of these guys down in extended spring training last year and in the Gulf Coast League and to finally get the opportunity to come up here and play — it’s amazing.”
The 19 year old from Spencer, Virginia is the newest call up for the ValleyCats since Cesar Salazar’s call-up to the Quad Cities River Bandits at the beginning of the week.
“So he’s a younger guy, there’s a lot of power in there, so it was nice to see it tonight,” said ValleyCats manager Jason Bell. “He works harder than maybe anybody
I have ever coached and out of all of spring training and extended spring training.”
Perry has been working on the defensive side of his game lately. Perry’s raw, offensive, power is evident, if he can strengthen his play behind the plate, Perry will see more and more success.
“I want to get better at my receiving and my blocking,” said Perry. “Last year, when I got to the Gulf Coast League, the guys I played with I just saw how much better defensively they were than me, and that really motivated me this off season. I worked really hard and this offseason I’ve been focused.”
Bell is impressed with the youngsters drive.
“He’s tried to improve his defense as a catcher. If you can be an offensive
catcher that’s a huge plus. He’s come a long way with still a long way to go,” said Bell. “He takes ownership of everything he does, every single day. For a player would probably be a freshman in college at this very moment, it’s pretty impressive with his work ethic and maturity.”
Though Perry’s arrival to the ValleyCats began with a bang, he is still young, which may keep Perry with Tri- City for a little bit.
“I don’t know about time frame wise because he still is so young, but he hits the ball hard in the air, which is what we like. He’s a lefty with power,” said Bell. “I’ve seen him go out in BP and it was cool to see it, for everyone to see it, tonight. That was the longest home run of the season for us and he is just 18-19 years old.”
Perry’s home run was his first this season and his third as a professional.
“Honestly, this is the first
time I’ve played in front of a crowd and at night in two years, since high school. I had such an adrenaline rush, and the fans were going crazy,” said Perry of his home run. “I just waited, got my pitch, and swung.”
In the Gulf Coast League, where Perry was just last week, games are played early in the day in front of dismal crowds.
“On the weekends they play at 10 am and on the weekdays they play at 12. There might have been eight people in the stands, maybe.”
To top it all of, Perry’s home run came on fireworks night, which means, once his home run reached the right field fence, the sky was lit up with the team’s home run firework display.
“One of my buddies in the dugout asked, ‘how was it hearing the fireworks go off after your home run?’ And I honestly didn’t hear them, I was so jacked up,”
said Perry.
Perry now has to become part of the ValleyCats ecosystem that is going through the minor league growing pains. Salazar has been called up, Gilberto Celestino was traded at the end of last month, and now, Perry has joined the squad.
“I played with a lot of the guys down in extended spring training so I know some of their arms,” said Perry on how he plans on learning the ValleyCats pitching. “Yesterday and today I wanted to catch as many guys as I could that I hadn’t caught before. I got to talk them about how they like to attack hitters and what they throw.”
Perry is full of youthful excitement, which is refreshing. He is raw, powerful, and excited about his call up.
“I called my mom as soon as I was called up,” said Perry. “I’m just very excited for this opportunity.”