Faces

Pitching Back

Mike Mayers gives back to student athletes in the offseason

Pitching Back

For Mike Mayers, Grove City is home.

“It still has the family, small-town feel,” says the 2010 Grove City High School graduate and professional Major League Baseball player. Mayers returns to the city during the offseason, not only to reconnect with friends and family but to inspire the next generation of athletes.

He says he finds inspiration from fellow players who “use their platform to make the world a better place (through charitable work),” such as Adam Wainwright, who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals last season.

Mayers says “there’s no better place than Grove City” to use his own platform and brand to provide lessons and work out with local student athletes in tandem with his former coach Ryan Alexander, head baseball coach at GCHS. And while this personal touch makes an impact on the students, it also keeps Mayers sharp for his own career.

“Our guys work beside him, (and have worked) with him for the last five to six years of his professional career,” Alexander says.

When Mayers was a GCHS athlete, playing football, baseball and basketball, he says he grew through observing his own role models when they were on the field or court. Now, GCHS athletes have the unique opportunity to observe Mayers up close, ask him questions or simply follow his example.

With his competitive and driven nature, it’s no surprise Mayers made it to the pros. In high school, June was his favorite month because he was active in all three sports and got to travel with his family throughout Ohio, says Mayers’ father, Mark Mayers, who you can read more about on page 18.

“He loves to compete,” Mark says. “Everything is a competition for him.”

Mayers says playing baseball professionally didn’t become a serious reality until his junior year when he started getting offers from colleges and universities. In the same year, Mayers had a 10-1 record with 1.80 earned run average. He

“Everybody has their own path,” he says. “Trust in the fact that you’re going to have your own path to success even if it’s not at the time you want it to happen.”

Brandon Klein is an editor. Feedback welcome at bklein@ cityscenemediagroup.com.

earned first team all-state honors while leading the 2009 Grove City team that compiled a 20-8 record and secured the 2009 sectional championships.

Scouts from top programs attended nearly every game Mayers pitched in his senior year, says Alexander, who coached Mayers in all three sports.

“So he knows how to handle pressure at an early age as well,” he says.

Mayers signed with the University of Mississippi’s Ole Miss Rebels baseball team to compete in the SEC. In 2013, the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the third round of the draft, beginning his career as a professional athlete.

After rotating through multiple minor league teams, Mayers found success as a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels in 2019.

“For me it was a change of scenery,” Mayers says. “I’m in a good place to be in Los Angeles. … My job is to continue to grow and build on the confidence that I gained last year.”

Mayers’ advice to student athletes is to be careful not to compare themselves to each other. With the pervasiveness of social media, this is good advice for students who find themselves struggling to live up to an image.

“Everybody has their own path,” he says. “Trust in the fact that you’re going to have your own path to success even if it’s not at the time you want it to happen.”

Alexander says “it’s been an awesome opportunity” for his athletes to see up close how Mayers handles himself and his career whenever he visits in the offseason. Mayers’ presence provides that light at the end of the tunnel for student athletes who aspire to play professionally, he adds.

Alexander’s athletes often send out group messages on social media to alert each other whenever Mayers is pitching.

“Our guys live and die while watching his pitches,” Alexander says. “He absolutely loves Grove City. … He definitely wants to help our guys out as much as possible, he definitely wants to continue that relationship.”

During the regular season, Mayers spends most of his time traveling to different cities with his teammates. He’s amazed by how much Grove City has changed when he comes back for the offseason.

“Construction on (Interstate) 71 is different every time I come back,” Mayers says. “The coolest part of Grove City is that it has grown and (is) not that small farm town when I was growing up.”

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