Baseball players are human beings. I catch myself on a nightly basis scouring through advanced statistics, box scores, and scouting reports to analyze players. Sitting there trying to figure out what their major league potential is, what type of player they might be, and what the red flags are. In an era of baseball where we're inundated with statistics, I was left wondering about the players behind the numbers. I became more curious about the journey that led players to where they are as I grew as a writer—trying to learn more about how they navigated successes and failures, the pressures that come with performing daily, and the mental side of the game.
Analytics will always play an essential role in the game that we love, but we tend to overlook the human behind those numbers at times. I am so excited to come to Prospects Live not just to bring you some top-notch prospect analysis but to also share with you some of the often untold human sides of these prospects. I hope to shed light on what makes a player who he is outside of the game and bring you new insights on some of your favorite prospects through a few topics related to the human side of baseball.
Mental Health and Baseball
I work on health care policy in my full-time job, specifically on mental health and substance use issues. One of my greatest passions has been to destigmatize mental health battles that many of us, baseball players included, go through. Prospects are under constant pressure to perform in a game that is driven by failure. Even the best hitters in the game are only successful 30% of the time. They are constantly reminded about this by fans, box scores, coaches, talent evaluators, and everyone else in their lives. From one day to the next, they know they have to perform or the chances of them being released or traded grow. They have to worry that one bad outing or game might lead them to lose their job or have to move and uproot their entire family.
A prime example of this happening recently is Kenley Jansen. He was demolished day to day by fans and the media, to the point he was booed off the field by his home fans. Jansen realized after the 2020 World Series that he needed help. In a recent article, he stated, "I need help, let's start with mentally. This game is too hard. It can be too hard on you mentally." He had hit a point where he needed to take time to invest in himself for his well-being. Jansen took a massive step in reaching out for help and an even larger one by sharing it publicly. He let the broader public know they aren't alone with their struggles by being vulnerable and letting people know it is okay not to be okay.
Jansen isn't the first player to come out and share his story. In April 2021, Sports Illustrated noted that four players stepped away from the game for personal reasons, and the number of players speaking out about mental health issues was growing. We all know about Drew Robinson's story, Andrelton Simmons' story, and the countless others out there. But there are also so many other untold stories.
The Driving Factors
There are many driving factors to the mental health crisis making its way through baseball and society as a whole. In baseball, it is a mix of performance pressure, the lack of a support system, the daily grind through the minor leagues, the struggles with finding an identity outside of baseball, and so on.
The path to the big leagues can be grueling and the experiences of each player are different. Some players come from Latin America or straight out of high school and are going through the grind of professional baseball while learning how to become adults. Other players have to find an identity outside of the game when their whole lives, the game is all they've known. The human side of baseball is never more apparent than through the journey of the minor leagues.
I work for an organization called Major League University, founded by former Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Austin Byler. Former baseball players from every level have come on the podcast and shared their stories about their mental health struggles, their sense of lost identity when the game was over, and the constant pressure they felt to perform every single day. We have made it a mission to share the experiences that these players go through with younger athletes. The goal of sharing their stories with younger athletes is to equip them with the tools they need to handle the mental performance and anxiety battles that come with not just the game, but life and help them build a healthy foundation for success in life.
Most recently, former Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Zach Nehrir was on the podcast and talked at length about how he lost his identity in the game of baseball. He let his performance (good or bad) take control of how he felt daily. At one point during the interview, he said, "I finally got to a point where I didn't care, wasn't going to allow how I play define me, and I played better than I ever have." Zach’s story of losing his identity in baseball and then finding success after he stopped letting the game control him is just one of many. These types of stories are endless.
Join me through my writing at Prospects Live as I shed light on these issues in the game and hopefully I give you a feeling of optimism at times, reflecting on significant strides made. I'll share stories not just of mental health battles but tales of triumph. Stories that reflect how a player overcame all odds to live out his dream in the Major Leagues. An understanding of how players adjusted to professional baseball and how they overcame the trials and tribulations that came with it. My goal is to help everyone realize that athletes are people, and behind the numbers, there are some incredible humans with tremendous stories.