BISCUITS RETURN: Whitley back after interruptions due to injury, COVID

Garrett Whitley has been on a difficult journey to pro baseball after being selected in the first round of the 2015 First Year player Draft. He is settling in as one of the Biscuits’ top players in 2021. (Courtesy of Montgomery Biscuits)

By GRAHAM DUNN

Garrett Whitley was the 13th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft.

His selection in the first round came with plenty of expectations.

No problem. And forget the fear of that supposed unlucky number.

“I was born on the 13th (of March),” Whitley said when asked if he was superstitious.

Whitley is settling in with the Montgomery Biscuits after unexpected interruptions early in his career. He is set as one of the top outfielders in the Double-A South, a.k.a Southern League.

The Biscuits return home on Tuesday for a 12-game set beginning with a series with Biloxi at 6:35 p.m.

"He is as advertised: a very athletic outfielder, good tools, good upside, the kind of raw materials you love to be able to take and put in your system and watch them grow and develop over the next several years," stated Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman at the time of the draft.

Whitley is into his third full season as a pro, although he has dealt with a major injury during his development.  Last year was a wash for all minor league players but his career was dealt another pause two years earlier when he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder and had to undergo surgery.

He missed the entire 2018 season.

“It was a grind,” Whitley explained. “I missed not being out there. I had to sit at home, barely able to raise my arm. That went on for a couple of months. Baseball is my outlet… if I’m upset I want to go hit. It helps me keep my mind off things. I had to find other ways since I would go to the facility but not able to hit.

“It may me appreciate the game more. I was happy to be out on the field but I then knew what it was like to have it taken away from me. Now, I appreciate every moment out there.”

The injury had to prepare him for what would happen last season when the season was called off due to COVID-19.

“It gave me a little bit of perspective but it was different,” he said. “Since we didn’t really know what was going on, I actually didn’t go home since it was too cold to get my work in. It wasn’t a total loss but it was a different tough.”

What did he do while he waited? Whitley put his cooking skills to work.

“I like to make everything but I really like Italian food. I put a lot of work into Chicken Parmesan,” he said.

After the MLB Draft, the native of Niskayuna, NY didn’t need long to decide whether or not to play at Wake Forest, even though he was an honor student and had thoughts of helping the Demon Deacons battle in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“It was a pretty easy decision,” Whitley said. “I always had wanted to play professional baseball. It was a dream for a long time. The money didn’t hurt either.

“If I had been taken lower, it would have been a difficult choice. I was excited to play for Wake Forest but this was my dream.”

Whitley and his family were in the MLB Network studios in New York to hear his name called on draft night. A trip of about two hours from home was easy and it gave him a chance to meet some of his childhood heroes.

“I did get to go, which was awesome,” he said. “It is a special day for the draft picks. I got to celebrate with family and friends. I got to meet a bunch of my heroes… (former Red Sox) Tim Wakefield, Johnny Damon… I met Ken Griffey, Jr. It was great to see players I watched while I grew up. To be around them and in that environment, it was a great experience.”

In other sports, a first-round choice has more than his share of pressure, particularly in basketball and football. Whitley is aware of the expectations but his are internal.

“I don’t look at it any differently but I know people do,” Whitley said. “I expect a lot out of myself so whatever my expectations are, the ones I have are more important. I expect more of myself than what others do.

“I try not to measure (success) by my stats. The way I feel about it is I want hits but I can’t control that. How did I feel on that at bat? Did I swing at good pitches? Was I comfortable? It’s about where I am versus stats.”

What he expects in 2021 is to get in a full season and he is excited to do it in front of Biscuits fans.

“We’ve only been there (a few) weeks. We’ve been on the road a lot so I’m adjusting to the heat but I really like the ballpark. We had a good turnout for the first games. (We had) great support from the fans so we all appreciate that.”