Way to make return Saturday in Texas [Baseball]
After missing the entire season last year with a left elbow injury, pitcher Matt Way of Sitka is scheduled Saturday to make his first start since August 2010.
The 25-year-old southpaw is playing in Texas for the Lerado Lemurs of the American Association, an independent professional league.
Way was a fifth-round MLB draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009. He spent two seasons in the team’s minor league system before his injury last year. He was released after spring training this year.
In search of a fresh start, he landed in Lerado.
“I definitely have to prove myself again,” Way told me. “That’s why I’m here.”
In 22 career pro starts, mostly with Class-A Lakewood, he was 13-9 with a 3.22 ERA. He also struck out 170 and walked just 42 in 168 innings.
He seemed poised for another strong season before an elbow injury sidelined him the entire year.
“I have been very successful at every level I have been at but injures kept me off the field,” he said.
Now he’s back on the bump.
“I feel good,” Way said. “Now I have to prove that I can still pitch and compete at a very high level. Once I do that I will hopefully get picked back up by a Major League club.”