Edmonton pitcher Inch chases big-league dreams
Vauxhall Baseball Academy grad vows not to forget his roots
CLEARWATER, FLA. — Prospect Steven Inch is embracing the grind and taking nothing for granted in his pursuit of pitching in the big leagues.
Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB amateur draft, Inch, a right-hander, is careful to never forget his roots while chasing his dreams in Florida.
The 22-year-old Edmonton native is an alumnus of the Vauxhall Baseball Academy in the southern Alberta town of Vauxhall (pop. 1,200) and is confident that his alma mater’s secret to success is the absence of favouritism and the level of care they have for their student athletes.
“All the coaches care a lot for their students, it’s not like some programs where it’s a money maker or they have an alternative agenda. They legitimately care about their players and they want them to succeed,” Inch said at the Phillies’ Paul Owens training facility in Clearwater.
“Whether it’s the 20th-best player on the team or the best player on the team, they care about them all equally.”
Les McTavish, head coach and director of operations at Vauxhall, is no stranger to success, having had multiple alumni (such as Jay Johnson, Adam Nelubowich and Jordan Wong) drafted into Major League Baseball.
MacTavish and his staff are familiar with the stresses associated with being drafted and deciding between college and pro.
“We try our best to answer questions, but let them make their own decisions,” MacTavish said in a telephone interview last week.
“Do you want to be a professional player and go through the grind in the minor leagues right out of high school?
“Or would you rather go to college and further develop your game and have the college experience?”
Inch, who chose pro, returns to Vauxhall academy often.
“It’s kind of where I grew up, actually. I moved there when I was 16 and it was kind of a big deal to move out,” Inch said of his fond memories at the academy.
Vauxhall is one of a growing number of Canadian baseball academies aiming to establish Canada as a consistent and reliable source for baseball talent.
The six-foot-four, 190-pound Inch is a homegrown talent who allowed just two home runs after facing 188 batters and had an ERA of 3.74 over 22 games last season in Williamsport, Pa., with the Crosscutters of the New York-Pennsylvania League.
He attributes a lot of his success to those who have ventured the path prior to him.
“Success brings success, it makes people want to do it. You look at guys that are doing well and you’re like, ‘maybe that’s something I could actually do.’ ”
McTavish is quick to deflect most of the praise to Inch himself.
“We provided a foundation, but he drove the bus, he did the work and made sure that he didn’t skip anything or cut any corners.”