Former Illinois baseball star Michael Massey starting well with Kansas City Royals

On Friday night time, former Illinois baseball star Michael Massey acquired his probability within the large leagues.

The Illini have had some nice gamers over time. Head coach Dan Hartleb and his teaching employees do an amazing job growing gamers and getting them prepared not just for play within the faculty ranks, however he additionally molds them into MLB-caliber expertise.

Michael Massey acquired a dose of this actuality when he was known as as much as the large leagues from triple-A Omaha on Friday so he could possibly be part of the Kansas Metropolis Royals lineup card.

Getting known as up is a formidable feat, however nobody must be shocked that Massey is now taking part in within the MLB. He had a profession batting common of .324 at Illinois. He made an All-Huge Ten group in all three seasons in Champaign. He was additionally a defensive ace with 60 straight video games with out an error.

These accolades led to Massey being picked within the 4th spherical of the MLB Draft in 2019, which is the best any infielder in Illinois baseball historical past has been drafted.

Former Illinois baseball star has began nicely with the Kansas Metropolis Royals.

Since being drafted in 2019, it has been a fast rise for Massey via the minor leagues. As a consequence of COVID in 2020, Massey’s profession was placed on maintain, as was a lot of the sports activities world. He would begin out with Quad Cities in 2021 on the single-A+ stage the place he would hit .289 and slug .531 in 99 video games.

This season, Massey began out with double-A Northwest Arkansas the place he would play 54 video games and bat .305 with a slugging proportion of .496. This nice play earned him a call-up to triple-A Omaha. With the Storm Chasers, Massey would play a few of his greatest ball, hitting .348 and slugging .630.

With these large numbers, Massey was known as as much as the Royals on Friday night time. Down 4-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays within the prime of the fourth inning, Massey’s quantity was known as. He pinch hit for catcher Sebastian Rivero. Whereas the end result could be a strikeout, the MLB profession for Massey had formally begun.

Don’t let that one strikeout idiot you, although. Massey would rebound properly on Saturday night time in opposition to the Blue Jays. Massey would get the beginning at second base and would go 2-for-4 on the night time in what ended up being a detailed loss 6-5 in 10 innings.

The Royals have a couple of younger prospects who’re more likely to be fairly good gamers. Bobby Witt Jr. is somebody who’s getting all the headlines. However don’t rely out Massey. This child went 2-for-4 in his first begin within the majors. Hopefully, that is just the start of an amazing profession.