By Evan Merrill
NKyTribune intern
Hard worker, passionate athlete, humble personality — that’s how the people who know Blake Tiberi best describe him.
Tiber, a Holy Cross graduate, was a third-round draft pick of the New York Mets from the University of Louisville in June and is playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones. The Cyclones are the high single A affiliate of the Mets.
According to Blake’s father, Rich Tiberi, Blake dreamed of playing in the majors when he was four. To help fulfill that dream, Rich installed a batting cage in their backyard, which Rich called “his college investment.”
“The batting cage was just something after work every night. We would hit,” Rich Tiberi said. “Weekends we would hit. Before games we would hit. Teammates would come over and hit in our yard. Blake could do tee work on his own. I put the cage up when he was about 13 or 14.”
Tiberi, a former Ohio State baseball player, understood the necessity for repetition and practice in order to help Blake improve. The batting cage offered this.
“He loved it. That’s the difference between Blake and other kids. They’d be doing something else, and Blake would be wanting to hit in the batting cage,” Tiberi said.
At 10, the Cincinnati Flames
Blake joined the Cincinnati Flames, a traveling baseball team, at the age of 10 and played until he was 18. Before and during high school, Blake was playing more than 100 games each season.
“The summer ball (was important), being able to play top-notch competition throughout the country and being exposed to a lot of very good pitching and talented pitching over the years,” Tiberi said. “A lot of these guys he ended up playing at Louisville as well as now professionally.”
Brian Phelps, athletic director at Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, coached Blake during his career with the Flames. Phelps, who coached two first-round picks – T.J. Zuech and Andrew Benintendi (the 2015 Golden Spikes Award Winner and #7 overall pick), – has an eye for talent.
“Benintendi was always the best athlete, but I always thought Blake, even among those great players, was the best hitter,” Phelps said.
Along with travel baseball, Blake was also a four-year varsity starter at Holy Cross. He became one of 16 high school players in the state to amass more than 200 hits throughout his high school career.
Pat Ryan, head baseball coach and a teacher at Holy Cross, attributed much of Blake’s success to his dedication.
“He was a guy who got his work in. School work or grades, he got the job done. He was on time with things, everything was done well,” Ryan said. “That’s also how he was as a baseball player. He would get his work in. Baseball was a real passion for him since he’s been a child. He had extraordinary work habits when it came to baseball.”
Although focused on baseball, Blake played high school basketball as well. According to Ryan, every night after basketball practice, Blake would go to SWOBAT, a baseball academy in Westchester.
“Blake just had a passion for baseball. He hoped he would be a professional player, but he wanted to be a college baseball player,” Ryan said. “So he took care of his grades and his body. Blake had some talent, don’t get me wrong, but he worked at it.”
It seems Blake was driven by what he imagined others were doing.
“The biggest thing for me is to never be satisfied,” Blake said. “I always picture in the back of my mind, the time you’re taking off, the less reps you’re doing, someone’s out there working harder than you, and that person’s working to take your spot.”
Blake hit .560 as a junior at Holy Cross with 32 RBI and 18 doubles, followed by a senior season hitting .555 with 30 RBI and 22 doubles. He was named first team all-state in 2013.
Off to U of L
After his high school baseball career ended, Blake attended Louisville, the school his dad said Blake fell in love with while visiting it during high school.
Blake redshirted his freshman year, then followed it up as redshirt freshman, hitting .261 with four home runs and 18 RBI (according to Louisville baseball’s website), and all-star appearances in the New England Collegiate Baseball League as well as the Cape Cod League.
His redshirt sophomore season, however, he really took off, as did Louisville. Ranked as high as second in the country in the preseason polls, Louisville seemed destined for an appearance at the College World Series.
After a 5-2 start, the Cardinals held a players-only meeting to discuss the issues.
“We had that mentality ‘we’re better than you,’ not arrogance but confidence and swagger, that we know we’re capable of playing with,” Blake said. “Once we [had the meeting], the season took a quick turn. Once it hit late March, everything started rolling. It was a lot of fun playing every day and taking the field with those guys. It’s a brotherhood and the relationships we have are special. Though the season ended not how we wanted it to, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
The Cardinals lost to UC-Santa Barbara in the super regionals, short of the College World Series. Blake Tiberi finished with a .340 average, 10 home runs and 51 RBI.
Blake was then drafted 100th overall, in the third round by the Mets.
“The transition’s been a little rough so far. I took a week off to recharge just from playing a full season, and then I had to go through physicals and meet with doctors and stuff,” Blake said.
“I signed and it took me a few days to get activated just so I could get acclimated. The competition level is very high, which I love the high level. I struggled early, but I can tell you right now I’m hitting much better than I was early. It’s been a fun transition so far, the only downfall is the rare off days.”
Statistics at the website of the Brooklyn Cyclones show Blake, who plays third base, has 31 hits in his 39 games.
High hopes
People who know Tiberi have high hopes for his baseball career.
“He has to stay the same person that he is. He’s always been humble, but a go-getter,” Flames coach Phelps said. “At every level he has succeeded. So he has to continue to put the work in he has to this point and take it to the next level. I think he can make it. A lot of it will be how much he wants it.”
With the grind of playing professional baseball, the toll it takes on the body, a passion for the game is a must.
“When you’re a major leaguer, you need to love the game like a little boy,” said Ryan, the Holy Cross coach. “Also prepare for the future. I’m sure because his dad’s a professional, continue to make sure you get your college degree, and when the time comes and your playing days are over, you take the same qualities of working hard, passion, dedication, and take it to the business world. And I bet he’s going to be a success there too.”
Blake Tiberi has a steep mountain to climb in order to make the major leagues.
“I’m a high school coach, so I don’t necessarily know, but I think he’s got a future. I won’t be surprised if he makes it. Believe me,” Ryan said.
Evan Merrill is a senior journalism major at the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media. He is from Covington.