by John Fanta ‘13
“He is the hardest-working player I have seen,” said Saint Ignatius Baseball Coach Brad Ganor. That quote came in 2012, back when Derek Dietrich was still just a double-A kid trying to make it. Dietrich, who had 121 hits, 37 doubles, 18 homers, 103 RBI’s, and 56 walks in his career (all school records), was a household name in the state when he played when high school baseball came up. Coach Ganor has used Derek as an example of how hard it is to make it to the majors since he was at the farm and how much work it takes. Now, Coach Ganor can use Derek’s story in a different way, because the second baseman has made it to the major leagues.
Dietrich was the Rays’ second-round pick in 2010 and had gotten some recognition in their farm system, but still was waiting on getting a call-up. There wasn’t much of a chance in that part of the Sunshine State, but then things changed. Derek was traded to the Miami Marlins during the offseason for Yunel Escobar, and went to double-A. The 23-year old was off to Miami, but on May 8 at 2 AM, things changed even more. With Donovan Solano and Chris Valaiko both hurt for Miami, Derek was being flown to Columbus for the afternoon game with the Dodgers. He started, and from there his life has been one of a major league. At 6 AM on May 8, Coach Ganor received a call from Derek’s parents, and since that time Coach has talked to Derek throughout the past weeks multiple times.
In 95 at-bats, Derek has scored 12 runs and has 22 hits. He has hit four homers and has brought in 12 runs. Currently hitting .231, Derek is grinding it out and is finding ways to make it. Yes, it’s for the worst team in MLB, but Dietrich is making the best of his situation. He has done very good things and is showing his potential for the future. And on a bad team, Derek will continue to have a role. “He continues to be positive,” said Coach Ganor. He went on, “He was nervous, but now he is settling in. I am confident that a work ethic like his can stick around. He is such a model for my players and beyond.”
Playing in the Final Four this weekend, the Wildcat Baseball team has had Derek in their heads throughout this whole season. Coach Ganor has called upon Derek’s story in his talks to the team. Senior and Illinois recruit Dan Rowbottom says, “It’s really encouraging to see that hard work does pay off.” The team has been driven by a guy like Dietrich, and other coaches around the state have visited with the Wildcat coaching staff and have talked about Dietrich. He was a hard worker in the classroom, and it has translated to the field. On top of that, I think credit needs to go to his high school coaches. The fact that Derek still initiates plenty of conversations with Coach Ganor and still stays in touch with Saint Ignatius is truly a great model of what it means to keep things in perspective when the spotlight is on you. Even when he was called up at 2 in the morning back in May, Derek had his parents make sure that the people who had impacted his life knew.
Derek’s attitude has gotten the Miami media to appreciate him, and if that doesn’t have anything to do with the tremendous education he received at Wildcat High, I don’t know what does.
