Mater Dei HS teammates join Indianapolis Indians

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Indians sport two Indiana natives on the roster this yr.

Mater Dei Excessive College teammates Jerad Eickhoff and Hunter Owen will discover themselves on the identical infield at Victory Subject this summer season. 

31 yr previous Jerad Eickhoff is again in his dwelling state, enjoying in Indiana for the primary time in over a decade.  The RHP has spent the final 11 years enjoying professionally, most notably 5 seasons the place he threw in 80 video games for the Phillies. However after a number of years of battling accidents, Eickhoff has landed with Pirates group. “Final time I used to be at this subject, I used to be a sophomore in highschool and was touring with the State group,” stated Eickhoff.  “In order that’s, yeah, it’s fairly, fairly thrilling, type of a loopy, full circle expertise.” 

Eickhoff has battled accidents all through his profession, however stays dedicated to the sport and a return to the large leagues. “It’s been a making an attempt couple of years,” he says. “However like I stated, I’m going to maintain, you realize, maintain lacing them up. And if I get a chance, I’m going to maintain maintain enjoying. And, you realize, the pirates got here alongside in a short time within the offseason. And like I stated, the chance was there. In order that was, that was very engaging for me. And like I stated, I’ve a jersey of one other likelihood, one other alternative.” 

Eickhoff and Owen are two of solely three huge leaguers to ever graduate from Mater Dei, a tiny highschool in southern Indiana. And, in Eickhoff’s first begin for Indianapolis, his former highschool teammate, was simply over at third base.” 

“I used to be tremendous excited to listen to about Jared signal with us,” stated Owen. “And I believe as quickly as I came upon, I texted him instantly as a result of, you realize, Jared has been the type of dude that’s all the time labored his butt off. And, you realize, his work ethic has been, you realize, tremendous admirable and anyone that I’ve actually appreciated to type of mannequin my work ethic after.” 

That finally paid off for Owen, who was a 2016 Twenty fifth-round draft choose by Pittsburgh, however lastly made his huge league debut final Might. 

“Having your paths cross in baseball is type of wild, and particularly since we went to highschool collectively, so it was actually thrilling,” stated Owen. 

“You understand, if you happen to requested me 10 years in the past, I’d say that, you realize, there’s no approach you realize, that’d be loopy. I don’t imagine you,” stated Eickhoff. “However, you realize, it’s only a testomony to, you realize, just a bit luck, a number of arduous work and, you realize, religion generally, simply having religion and belief in what you’re doing. And, you realize, I’ve had a number of nice folks alongside the way in which helped me to get to the place I’m. And, you realize, there’s not a, you realize, I can’t do that alone. And I don’t assume any of us can, particularly on this recreation, so. However yeah, it’s unimaginable. You understand, I nonetheless pinch myself, you realize, to be the place I’m at and to see the issues that I’ve seen. 

So for now, it’s again to work in Indy, the place the pair of Wildcats wait for an additional name up – collectively.