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Mack in pursuit of major league dream
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DeAngelo Mack's second professional baseball season started this weekend when the New York Yankees opened minor league camp in Tampa.
The former USC standout hopes to build on a successful season last summer with short-season Class A Staten Island in the New York-Penn League, where he batted .306 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 66 games.
"I was pretty pleased." Mack said in an interview before he left for spring training. "As the season progressed, I got a little better and got a little better. By the end of the season, I was in a groove."
The West Columbia native and former Airport High star left Columbia in a groove after an All-SEC second-team junior season in which he batted a team-high .361 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs. That performance got the 5-foot-10, 190-pound outfielder drafted in the 13th round by the Yankees.
With his second season looming, one that likely will be played in Charleston, the Yankees' Class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League, The State has enlisted him to pen a weekly season-long diary about life on and off the field in the minor leagues. His first one runs today.
After a solid start a year ago to his pro career, he begins this one with a lot of confidence. He helped lead Staten Island to a NY-P league championship and, because of the proximity to the big-league team, he got to take a tour of new Yankees Stadium. He got a big kick out of the Yankees winning the World Series title, too.
"It was a lot of fun watching that, knowing I was drafted that same year," he said.
Now he's ready for his first spring training. He went to the Tampa area weeks ago - where he lived with USC pitcher Sam Dyson's parents - to get ready for the opening of camp.
"I'm pretty excited," he said. "I'm ready to see everybody in the organization. I'm ready to be around big-league guys and see what they do to prepare themselves on an everyday basis."
His former coach is just as excited for him.
"He's the kind of player who makes coaches extremely proud," USC coach Ray Tanner said. "He put in the time and effort. He's a throwback player. He's not an instant gratification guy. He invested a lot of work to get where he is today."
The school year also ended well for him. He came back to USC after his first pro season to finish the four classes he needed to earn his degree in finance and marketing.
Mack smiles when thinking about getting the opportunity to pursue his dream. He has come a long way since playing in his hometown youth leagues.
"You grow up thinking about it, but it doesn't really hit you until it happens," Mack said. "It's a pretty neat thing."
Reach White at (803) 771-8643.
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