Travel Baseball Teams in Arizona

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MLB Players from Arizona

Arizona sunshine can be an invitation to play ball. According to the Baseball Almanac, Arizona has 25 active MLB players (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/birthplace.php?loc=Arizona). Among them are Ian Kinsler, J.J. Hardy, Andre Ethier, and Kole Calhoun.

Ian Kinsler

Ian Kinsler was born in Tuscon in June 1982. As a youth, he played in Pony League. He was reportedly benched by the coach -- his own father -- for rolling his eyes. His team ended up losing that game.

Kinsler played on the team at Canyon del Oro High – a team that would see more than one major leaguer. He turned down a 29th round draft pick out of high school. He attended Central Arizona College, transferred to Arizona State, and then to Missouri.

Kinsler’s game improved during college. He was a 17th round draft pick in 2003. He played for the class A Spokane Indians and Clinton LumberKings before moving on to the AA Frisco RoughRiders. He did one additional year in the minors, on the Oklahoma City Redhawks. This was because he was transitioning from shortstop to 2nd base http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091029

Kinsler made his big league debut in 2006, a little shy of 24. In 2008, he was an American League All-Star.

JJ Hardy

J.J. Hardy was also born in Tucson in 1982 – to two athletes. His parents both had competed in sports, though carpal tunnel forced his mother to quit golf.

J.J. Hardy was on the team at Sabino High School, playing both shortstop and pitcher. He was on the U.S. Junior National team; it placed silver that year.

Hardy was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2nd round of the2001 draft. He turned down a University of Arizona scholarship to turn pro in his favored position: shortstop. Reportedly, though, his contract stated that if he did decide to pursue a degree, the Brewers would pay his tuition (http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Hardy/Hardy_facts.html).

In the minors, Hardy played for the Class A High Desert Mavericks, AA Huntsville Stars, and AAA Indianapolis Indians. His big league debut was in 2005 at age 22.

As a major leaguer, Hardy has played for the Brewers, Twins, and Orioles.

Kole Calhoun

Kole Calhoun was born in 1987 in Buckeye. He was on the Buckeye High School team. He pitched and played outfield at Arizona State University after a brief stint at Yavapai College. He was co-captain his senior year (http://www.thesundevils.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30300).

In 2010, Calhoun was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 8th round of the draft. He was 22. As a minor leaguer, he was promoted from the Orem Owlz to the Inland Empire 66ers and then to the Salt Lake Bees. He was a minor league All-Star twice.

He was 24 when he made his major league debut in 2012, playing for the Angels.

Future Baseball Stars in Arizona

Chances are there are more future pros playing ball in the Arizona sun. Kinsler notes "I think instructional league is really what helped me the most (http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Kinsler/Kinsler_my-say.html)." In instructional league, he got to swing that bat a lot!

There are certain traits that a ball player needs. Athleticism is obviously one. It also helps immensely to have a passion for the game. Kinsler has said he would play whether he made $5 or a trillion (http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Kinsler/Kinsler_my-say.html). Hardy notes that scouts asked him if he was interested in pitching, but he said he liked shortstop because he got to play on a daily basis.

Baseball takes plenty of practice. Youth sports can develop ball skills and sportsmanship that lasts the long term even if one doesn't make it as far as these former Arizona kids.

Travel Baseball Teams in Arizona

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