INTERVIEW

Elliot Johnstone Johnstone

HP HAWK’S ‘STATES’ OF PLAY ‘STATES’ OF PLAY

By signing a contract to play ball in the USA, a local baseball pitcher has rounded first base as he seeks to run all the way to home plate, as JON RAWLINSON explains. a local baseball pitcher has rounded first base as he seeks to run all the way to home plate, as JON RAWLINSON explains.

He’s a friendly enough young man but Elliot Johnstone intimates that he’s prepared to intimidate by playing hardball with his fastball to the tune of ‘chin music’.

“You don’t want the batters to be too comfortable in the batter’s box. If I have to go close to hitting them, to get them off my plate, I definitely will,” the Howick Pakuranga Hawks and Auckland Tuatara pitcher says. “I’ve been clocked at 94 miles per hour, which is about average in Major League Baseball (MLB), but coaches have told me they see potential for me to increase my velocity even more.”

His father’s business, Howick Funeral Home, is an ironic setting in which to chat with Elliot, considering his pitching is as lively as it gets. The former Star of the Sea student is now hoping to star in America’s minor leagues and, thanks to a contract with the New York Mets, he’s on the road to ‘the big show’.

“I’m a mid-season signing, so I’ll be going to [The Mets’] Florida Spring training centre. They’ll put me through my paces and we’ll see where it goes from there. I’ll probably start playing rookie ball with the Gulf Coast League Mets and then, maybe, on to the minor leagues,” he says. “When I was young, I thought it would be cool to play Major League ball but now this opportunity’s presented itself, it’s a surreal feeling.”

Interestingly, Elliot hasn’t always bet on the Mets.

“Growing up, I was a Boston Red Sox fan, just because they were one of the only teams shown on TV here. Then I went to Guam on a little league trip where they had a baseball hat store. I saw a Washington Nationals hat, thought it looked good, and I started following them.”

Asked if he’s still cheers for the Nationals, Elliot answers quickly and (it’s fair to say) tactically:

“No. I’m a Mets fan now,” he laughs.

He has a hard row to hoe, slugging it out for The Mets’ farm (development) teams. However, this resolute right-hander could reap rich rewards should he reach the Majors (where the average annual salary is a shade under US$5million and top pitchers earn tens of millions) and join the likes of Steven Adams (basketball) and Scott Dixon (motor racing) as one of New Zealand’s highest paid sportspeople.

But Elliot has competition in trying to become the first Kiwi in Major League Baseball. Two others are currently plying their trade in the minors: ex-Hawk and Tuatara, Kyle Glogoski, with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and Ben Thompson, a former NZ Diamondblack, with an Atlanta Braves’ affiliate. Indeed, Elliot will need to ‘bring the heat’ in the heat of a Florida summer to progress but, in addition to his fastball, this wily reliever has more weapons in his arsenal.

“My second best pitch would be a slider and I also have a sinker and a change-up too. I like to rotate through those to keep them guessing. You want to give the same amount of energy whatever the [type of] pitch so it can deceive the hitter,” he explains.

“I used to be a starting pitcher but became a reliever when I joined the [Auckland] Tuatara [2018] and that’s where I think my mojo is, where I’m most comfortable. There are different roles — from coming in after only a few innings if the starting pitcher isn’t doing well, or in the middle innings — but I think I tick the right boxes.”

While busy ticking boxes Elliot’s likely ticked off more than just a few players in the batter’s box along the way. And yet, he’s not afraid to fill his boots when stepping up to the plate himself.

“Some people might laugh but I rate myself as a hitter!” he smiles. “I have hit some home runs over the years including a grand-slam [with bases loaded]. I do think the odds of me getting at bats as a relief pitcher [in the USA] are pretty low, but when I do, I’ll be swinging, for sure.”

JOHNSTONE’S MILESTONES

Far from a mainstream sport in New Zealand, baseball is America’s pastime; it’s also a common pastime for Howick’s Johnstone family. pastime; it’s also a common pastime for Howick’s Johnstone family. Elliot Johnstone was introduced to the sport through his older brother, Elliot Johnstone was introduced to the sport through his older brother, who also played for Hawks, then known as the Diamondblacks. who also played for Hawks, then known as the Diamondblacks.

“Dad saw an advertisement in the Howick and Pakuranga Times [for the club] and Hayden and Blair then started playing,” he recalls. “So, since I was born, I’ve pretty much, lived and breathed baseball down at the field and in the dugout [at Lloyd Elsmore Park]. I started, with tee-ball, aged four, and I’ve been playing non-stop ever since.”

The plucky pitcher says the Hawks were instrumental in helping him hone his skills.

“The club was hugely beneficial. Scott Campbell, who played triple-A [minor league] with the Toronto Blue Jays back in the day, ran clinics for young players, along with his brother Aaron. We’ve just had huge talent, with some of the best guys in New Zealand baseball coming through the club; that’s always going to be helpful.”

After being selected for the Hawk’s men’s team at just 16, Elliot began to turn heads. Unfortunately, ambitions to play college ball were cut short by injury. Instead, he became a foundation player with the Auckland Tuatara in the ABL (Australian Baseball League) in 2018.

“When I was selected [for the Tuatara] that started my professional career. Having a pro’ team here is growing the game and giving kids more opportunities to play in front of major league scouts,” he says.

“I’ve played for New Zealand at age-group level and I was going to debut [for the NZ Diamondblacks] alongside my brother Blair at the World Baseball Classic in Arizona last year. Scouts had expressed interest and if I pitched well, a contract could have presented itself. Then the pandemic hit.”

However, Elliot did realise a dream — he was named ABL’s Rookie of the Year for 2020.

“I’d say that’s one of my biggest accomplishments. I didn’t find out until we were under lockdown. I ran inside and told my partner, then rang dad who couldn’t believe it!”

Although he’s never pitched an elusive no-hitter — where not a single hit is scored — Elliot has chalked up a handful of shutouts over the years whereby players may make it on base but none find their way home.

“If I can make the Major Leagues one day and become a closer, I guess my dream scenario would be striking out the last guy in game seven to win the World Series; that would be awesome!”