WILLIAMSPORT, LYCOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Division II straight to the league. That’s the path Jaxon Dalena chose, staying loyal to Shippensburg - and becoming the highest Raider draft pick in 26 years.
"To sit there with my family, all the hours they spent and all the money they spent traveling for baseball growing up, just to see your name on the big screen is pretty cool," Dalena said. "I feel like those guys drafted out of DII have somewhat a chip on their shoulder, little bit less to work with at the school but the guys who make it, they're grinders."
The San Diego Padres picked Dalena in the 6th round, 190th overall following an 8-3 campaign as a senior and being named the PSAC Eastern Division Pitcher of the Year. Dalena now tops at 97 MPH but has a full arsenal of off speed stuff, giving him that much needed confidence in becoming a pro.
"I have that mindset of I feel like I'm better than the guy standing in front of me. Just confidence on the mound, having that velocity jump this year, I feel like I have a pretty high ceiling and can get a lot better."
"If you want to be a pro player you have to treat it like it's your job," Shippensburg Manager Matt Jones said. "You're getting to practice early, you're staying late, you're putting extra time in the weight room, putting extra time in with the trainers, and Jaxon did all that."
Jones has sent a flurry of players to the MLB in his 19 years at Shippensburg but Dalena stands out among the rest. The knowledge on the mound, the character, the willingness to learn gives Jones no doubt his ace is capable of pitching in front of a Petco Park crowd very soon.
"I think the thing with pitchers is there are guys that can throw hard but can't pitch," Jones said. "He [Dalena] throws hard and he can pitch. If he gets to the big leagues, it wouldn't surprise me physically, mentally, he's there."
Dalena flies out west to begin his tenure as a Padre and the one guy he can’t wait to meet: Five-time All-Star Yu Darvish, but he’s heading out to San Diego ready to make his own name. And Montoursville is no stranger to MLB products either, Hall of Famer Mike Mussina coached Jaxon through high school and now it’s Dalena’s turn to carry on the Warrior legacy.
"I love to get the community name out there showing that small town kids can get drafted, you just got to put in the hard work."
