Since being drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016, Hopkinsville native Easton McGee has progressively climbed the minor league ladder and now is one step away from a chance to play in the majors. McGee and the Durham Bulls, the Triple A affiliate of Tampa Bay, opened the 2022 season Tuesday night in Nashville.
McGee, who spent virtually all of the 2021 season in Double A, did get called up for a week to the Bulls at the end of the season. YourSportsEdge.Com had the chance to ask McGee about being on the verge of breaking into “the league.”
What does it mean for you to start the year with the Bulls ?
– “It means a lot, It’s a tremendous honor to be apart of this team. It just means I have to work even harder to be able to contribute to the team and be a good teammate.”
Do you think much about how close you are to the league ?
– “Yes I think about it but I can’t think about it to much. I have to stay focused on pitching here and performing well here before I can think about going to the next level.”
What are you focused on going into the season ?
– “I am mainly focused on staying healthy and going out on the field when it’s my day to pitch and giving my team a chance to win. I just want to do my job and work hard and whatever is suppose to happen, will happen.”
How does this chance align with what you envisioned when you signed with the Rays after high school ?
– “I think this gives me a pretty good opportunity to make it to the big leagues with the Rays. It would be really cool to make it to the big leagues with the team I was drafted by. But again, I just have to stay focused on pitching here in AAA first.”
What would it mean to you if “the call” happens this season ?
– “It would mean everything. It would be a dream come true and just a testament to what can happen when you set your mind to something and work as hard as you can to make that happen. But again I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I just have to stay focused on pitching here before I can think about the big leagues.”
One Response
Easton was a student in my 8th grade at Hopkinsville Middle School. I am so proud of his accomplishments in baseball. Easton was a very good student, well mannered and great role model for the younger students. I hope I can watch you pitch a game one day.