Minor League Baseball sends young men all over the country, often far from home.
Not Luke Harrison, now playing roughly two-and-a-half hours from his native Glenview for the Peoria Chiefs, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Single-A team.
Playing close to home means Harrison’s family, friends and girlfriend can come to the ballpark all the time, especially when the Chiefs visit Geneva to take on the Kane County Cougars.
More Top Picks Best Blue Light Screen Protectors For Phones
Last year, Harrison’s family made it out to State College, Pa., where the right-hander spent his rookie year, maybe once. This year, Harrison said his family has already come to five Chiefs games.
The home-field advantage can be helpful after a rough outing.
“It’s 140 games a season,” said Harrison, a Glenbrook South graduate. “You’re definitely going to have your ups and downs. Just being able to go home and have some home cooking and forget about baseball for a bit, even if it’s for a day or two, it’s very helpful for your mental mindset.”
Not that Harrison has had too many moments he would want to forget. Through Monday, July 25, he was 3-1 with a 2.01 ERA. He’s been particularly strong since yielding three runs against Quad Cities on Sunday, May 29, allowing four runs in 24 2/3 innings, while striking out 25 batters.
He’s had his success largely by pummeling the plate. Against Cedar Rapids on Friday, June 3, he needed just 21 pitches to get through two perfect innings, throwing 18 for strikes. In his next appearance, eight days later, he again tossed two perfect frames against Cedar Rapids. Four days later, he struck out three of the five Clinton batters he faced. Against Beloit on Thursday, June 30, he showed off his range, notching a season-high 57 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, while still holding the Snappers scoreless.
“He’s been a big asset to our club,” Chiefs manager Joe Kruzel said. “He’s a guy that for the most part you’ve got an idea what he’s going to give you. He’s a strike thrower. He keeps the ball down. He gets the groundballs.”
Harrison hasn’t rested on his laurels, even after a strong rookie season for State College. He managed a 1.02 ERA and 28 strikeouts against just three walks last year.
This year, he’s worked to mix a four-seam fastball in with his usual two-seamer. The result is a pitch that’s two to three miles-an-hour faster.
“I can keep hitters off-balance with a little bit of a harder fastball,” Harrison said.
“When he first came here at the beginning of the year, he was pretty much just a fastball, split-finger guy who would occasionally throw a breaking pitch,” Kruzel said. “Now, he’s more into developing the two-seam and the four-seam, along with improving his fastball and command and location along with the split-finger.”
He has also been tinkering with his offspeed offerings, getting rid of his curveball and adding a slider. Kruzel said he’s been pushing Harrison to use it more in games.
Both Harrison and Kruzel stressed the importance of balancing the kind of tinkering Harrison is doing with keeping fresh. Kruzel said he has had players who try to do too much during batting practice and warmups and are exhausted by the time the game begins — particularly over the course of a grueling 140-game season. Playing his first long season of minor league baseball, Harrison is trying to fend off the grind, mixing hard work with more relaxing activities like yoga and listening to music.
“You’ve got to stay relaxed and have fun with the guys,” Harrison said. “Once you stop having fun, it’s no longer baseball if you ask me.”
The odds aren’t great for a 35th round draft pick like Harrison to make it to the major leagues, but his numbers thus far lead to thoughts of playing in bigger stadiums someday.
Playing a short drive from home, Harrison seems to be balancing present happiness and future dreams well.
“My main goal is to not just play for the Peoria Chiefs, it’s to get that day to play in St. Louis with the Cardinals. I’m working every day to get through the system,” Harrison said. “I’m enjoying every moment here. Trust me, I am. I love Peoria and the Midwest.”
Jonah L. Rosenblum is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @jonahlrosenblum