Myles Vincent never took his game to the level he wanted to while playing baseball in Alberta, but he has no regrets about getting a glimpse of what it takes to be a professional.
Vincent, a talented southpaw pitcher who honed his skills in Corner Brook, will give up on his pursuit of pro baseball when he wraps up his season with the Lethbridge Bulls of the 11-team Western Major Baseball League.
He joined the Bulls two years ago when he was a pro prospect learning to take his game to the next level at the Prairie Baseball Academy under head coach Todd Hubka.
The 19-year-old’s time in Alberta grew frustrating when he began struggling with his command. He couldn’t find the strike zone and eventually found himself seeing limited duty with most of his appearances coming in a relief role.
Like any other young baseball prospect with aspirations of making it to the pros, Vincent can’t help but be disappointed thinking about what could have been.
However, he’s looking at the bright side of things because he felt he did what he could with what he had.
“I’m glad it happened. I had a lot of fun the past two years,” Vincent said. “Even though it didn’t go as far as I wanted it to, I still travelled around the (United) States and I got to play for Team Canada, so it was definitely worth it.”
Vincent has a flight booked for Aug. 14 to return home. It will give him enough time to get focused and prepared to join the Corner Brook Barons — the defending provincial senior A baseball champions — at the 2014 national baseball championship in St. John’s starting Aug. 21.
The Barons will defend their provincial senior A crown this weekend in St. John’s, with the series shifting back to Jubilee Field after the weekend.
Unfortunately, Vincent won’t be home to play in the provincial final because the Bulls are poised for a long playoff run. Despite his struggles on the mound, it looks like Vincent could very well be a member of a championship team before he wraps up his journey out west. He will be limited to bullpen duty, but he’s ready to do his part if he gets a call.
“We’re in first place now in the whole league and we’re playing really well,” he said. “But, if we do somehow lose in the first round, then I will think about changing my flight and coming home, but honestly I don’t see that happening.
“I don’t play as much as I would have if I was pitching like I could,” he added, noting he may have had 12 innings of work with the Bulls all summer.
Vincent will turn 20 next month so he has plans to look at life after the academy. He wants to work for a year before getting immersed in a trade.
As for his first senior baseball nationals, he’s hoping to find the zone if the coach calls upon him.
