4 minute read
SPORTS
THE MLB DRAFT COMBINE IN CARY WAS COVERED BY SPORTS MEDIA
BRYAN ARENDT OF HOLLY SPRINGS WAS AMONG 167 PLAYERS INVITED TO THE MLB DRAFT COMBINE
USA BASEBALL HOSTED THE EVENT IN JULY
Let’s Play Ball!
USA BASEBALL IN CARY HOSTS THE MLB DRAFT COMBINE
BY KURT DUSTERBERG PHOTOS BY JENNA HISCOCK OF USA BASEBALL
Just a couple weeks removed from his graduation from Holly Springs High School, Bryan Arendt breezed through the concourse at Cary’s USA Baseball National Training Complex at Thomas Brooks Park, chatting up coaches and other top baseball prospects. The catcher was among 167 players invited to the first Major League Baseball Draft Combine, an event that laid the foundation for the MLB Draft in July. Scouting directors from all 30 major league teams were on hand to evaluate the very best amateur players in the country, including 76 invited collegiate players and 91 high school players.
“It’s a lot to take in,” says Arendt, who also catches for the Canes Baseball National summer showcase team, considered to be one of the top organizations of its kind in the country. “I just try to take it day by day and do my thing. I try not to think about it a whole lot.”
In addition to a series of all-star games, players were put through medical and performance assessments, as well as educational programming designed to prepare them for a career in professional baseball. Coming off a year when high school and college seasons were lost to COVID-19 concerns, the combine took on added importance for teams and players alike.
“A lot of these kids didn’t get seen last summer,” says Chris Lionetti, USA Baseball’s director of player identification. “So much of what we do in the draft is built off of what we do in the summer and the spring. This gives everybody the opportunity to play against each other. It’s some of the best talent in the country, all on one field.”
TRIED AND TESTED
The player evaluation process is more than just assessing baseball tools like arm strength, hitting for power, and speed. Scouts want to know which players have the personal qualities that will allow them to excel against professional players as they climb the ladder through the minor leagues.
“The tools part is somewhat easy,” says Billy Best, who has been a regional scout for the Atlanta Braves for the past 20 years. “But the most important thing, probably like any profession, is what kind of person are we getting? Are you going to be relentless? Because it’s such a hard game, and there’s so much failure. You’ve got to get back up.”
For the college players, the MLB Draft is the only focus at the Cary event. But high school players can usually fall back on college scholarship offers if they aren’t satisfied with where they are selected in the 20-round draft. “In the past year, a lot has changed for me,” says Arendt, who has a scholarship offer from UNC-Wilmington. “Division I schools and scouts started following me just a year ago. I’ve had a few conversations with the college guys about what college is like and how they enjoy it. I’ve picked up a lot of good information.”
A PROMISING PARTNERSHIP
The MLB Draft Combine is the latest of many highprofile events at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. It also facilitates a Player Development Pipeline event in May for MLB. Since the four-field facility opened in 2007, it has hosted Collegiate National Team and National Team Development events from 12U to 18U. Many of the tournaments are open to the public, with primary games played at the 1,754-seat Coleman Field.
“We think this event is only going to get bigger,” Lionetti says. “The fact that MLB and the Town of Cary partner with us for this event is huge for us, but it’s also huge for the town. As scouts, we benefit from having a certain summer schedule. Cary is a large part of what our summer is. Every scout has their favorite hotel they stay in, whether it’s in RTP or right down the street. We all have our favorite restaurants.”
With the MLB Draft Combine poised to gain national prestige, it could become a showcase event for both MLB and the community. But for the players and the big-league organizations, the stakes are already high. “The opportunity that MLB has given the teams to meet with players is incredible,” Lionetti says. “All of these kids have to be talented to play the game, but the difference between guys who get cups of coffee and guys who play a long time in the big leagues, is character.”
Arendt, the only player from the Triangle at the combine, tried to put his best foot forward, whether talking to a scout or showing off his skills. “I hope to show that I can succeed when we’re playing high-level competition against great pitching,” he says. “I really try not to think about who I’m facing or any of that. I just play and have fun and enjoy the game.”
