Right-hander Gavin Pittore was signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent following the 2015 First Year Player Draft. He was a Division III junior out of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Middletown is a small city about 16 miles south of Hartford with a population of less that 50,000.

Pittore was not expecting to be signed by a MLB team and was planning to return for his final year at Wesleyan University to finish his degree and to continue to play baseball under head coach Mark Woodworth. If fact, less than two years earlier baseball might not have been seen as a possibility for him. That is, not seen as a possibility by others, especially MLB scouts , but never out of the realm of the possible for Pittore even when things had not gone so well.

Gavin Pittore
(Image courtesy of Great Lakes Loons)

As a sophomore two years earlier he was fighting to earn a spot in the Cardinals rotation. Competing with more established starters in his second year he got off to a rocky start as he posted an ERA of 8.73 over his first 11.1 innings. Perhaps it was just determination on his part or the confidence of coach Woodworth but from that point on he became a Cardinal workhorse. Over his last 114 innings in a Wesleyan uniform he posted a 1.45 ERA and struck out 119 batters while walking 31.

Gavin Pittore played a significant role in the Wesleyan Cardinals three year run, especially in his final two years with the team. The team won 90 games over a three year span and advanced to a NCAA Regional Tournament for the second season in a row. Coach Woodworth was named the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) coach of the year for the third straight year.

Still Pittore did not attract the attention of major league scouts as a member of the Cardinals. The road in professional baseball is difficult enough with having had success just at the Division III level and not competing at the highest university levels.

Following in his coach’s footsteps and living close to the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League he tried out in each of his three years as a college player following the university season. He had limited success and opportunity in his first two years but in his third try in the collegiate league he had success that he mostly likely could not have predicted. Working now exclusively in relief with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League he pitched 17 scoreless innings over 10 appearances while striking out 17, a number of whom were Division I players. He earned All-Star recognition and pitched a scoreless inning in that game as well as flashing a 92-94 mph fastball. His coach had constantly reminded him that he just had to be seen by the right people. At the All-Star game he was seen as a MLB prospect for the first time and apparently by the right people.

After two days of careful consideration and consultation Pittore signed with the Dodgers on August 5, 2015. For the 22-year old 6’3”- 230 pound right-hander from Quincy, Massachusetts, the improbable – as Dodgers venerable broadcaster Vin Scully would say – had become the possible. It is extremely rare for a Division III player in his junior year to be signed by a MLB team. The Dodgers radar had apparently picked him up in the summer of 2015.

“The Dodgers gave me an unbelievable opportunity,” said Pittore, who received a low six-figure signing bonus. “I wish I could have finished my last year at Wesleyan. I love the school, my teammates and the coaches. But it didn’t work out that way. I believe this opportunity is going to help me grow in a lot of ways and fulfill my dreams.”

“It’s been an unbelievable ride and something I didn’t expect,” Pittore said. “I’m looking forward to becoming a professional and being able to do my job. If you’re doing what you love, it’s pretty easy. I can’t wait to step on the field as a member of the Dodgers organization.”

Cardinals head coach Mark Woodworth is no doubt sorry to lose Gavin Pittore from his 2016 starting rotation – but as all good coaches do – celebrates his accomplishments: “This achievement is one of the great stories in college baseball,” Wesleyan coach Mark Woodworth said in a press release. “His rise to becoming one of the best college pitchers in the country at all levels is a testament to perseverance, loyalty and commitment. All of us with Wesleyan baseball can’t wait to see what he achieves in professional baseball.”

Wesleyan Athletic Director Mike Whalen was also supportive of Pittore’s decision to forego his senior year at the university: “For Gavin, even though it’s tough that he’s leaving Wesleyan, it’s such a good opportunity for him and his family that you can’t help but wish him well,” Whalen said. “What I’m most pleased about is the fact that he’s going to be here the next two falls to finish his degree while still having that opportunity to pursue his dream.”

Pittore began his professional career on August 13, 2015 with the Arizona League Dodgers pitching a scoreless inning. He pitched a total of 8.2 innings on the season with the Dodgers giving up eight hits while striking out eight and walking six.

He made his 2016 debut with the Great Lakes Loons on Tuesday, April 12th pitching the final two innings and earning a save in a 3-1 win for the Quakes. He gave up one run, aided by a HBP, along with two hits, no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 35 pitches – 23 for strikes – and had five ground ball outs.

Gavin Pittore is now able to chart his own course having been launched into professional baseball by his college coach Mark Woodworth along with the prestige of the collegiate Cape Cod Baseball League and even more so by his determination to make the improbable possible.