When Anthony Gallas started playing baseball at Kent State in 2007, his father got a job in California, so his parents packed up and took off for the West Coast, never to look back.
They couldn’t be happier with the year-round sun and California climate.
Gallas, too, couldn’t be happier with where he is, and he’s still in Ohio.
Born and raised in Strongsville, Gallas is a lifelong Indians fan. It was a dream come true when the Indians called him in 2010 with an invitation to join their minor-league organization.
An outfielder, Gallas put together his best season in his senior year at Kent State, setting collegiate career highs in batting average (.369), on-base percentage (.450) and home runs (17). Gallas thought it would be enough to earn him a call on draft day, but the call never came.
After the draft, Gallas received a call from the Houston Astros asking him to join their organization. Gallas said he’d have to think about it, and after calling back a few days later to no response, thought he had blown his chance to play for a big-league club.
The universe did him one better, though, as he received a phone call from the Indians the next week.
“It’s awesome to sign, period, let alone to have it be with the team that you grew up watching. It makes it that much better. Even now it’s weird for me to think about it,” Gallas said.
Most of the Indians’ minor-league affiliates are in Ohio — Columbus, Akron, Lake County, Mahoning Valley — but Gallas has spent most of his time away from home in Carolina with the Mudcats.
He’s made brief appearances at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, but just for short stints at the end of the season. On June 11, he received his first official “promotion” to the Double-A level and now finds himself back home in Northeast Ohio with the RubberDucks.
“I have all my family here besides [my parents],” Gallas said. “Every single night when I’m playing, I have like 15 people in the stands. It’s cool. One of the coolest things to me, from the day I signed, is all the people who saw me in high school or at Kent seeing how much I’ve progressed.”
Gallas credits Kent State coaches Mike Birkbeck and Scott Daeley with teaching him how to become a more complete person and player. He credits Birkbeck, “a man of few words,” with helping him mature. Daeley helped him with his swing.
“It’s really not mechanical,” Gallas said. “It’s just being ready to hit. Studying pitchers, picking up things to give you an advantage.”
Through his first 11 games at the Double-A level this season, Gallas appears to be adjusting well, batting .356 with two home runs. This is impressive not only because it’s his first real look at the Double-A level, but also because he missed almost the entire 2013 season after tearing the labrum in his right hip.
“I think I’m ready,” Gallas said. “I’ve put in the work, it’s my time to see what I’ve got. I’m ready for that opportunity. What I’m trying to accomplish here is show I’m a major league-type hitter. The only way you do that is having a quality at-bat every single time you go up there. Being a tough out, moving guys over when you need to, getting guys in when they’re on third base and being a good teammate. Everything else takes care of itself.”
August Fagerstrom can be reached at afagerstrom@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the RubberDucks blog at http://www.ohio.com/blogs/rubberducks. Follow August on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AugustF_ABJ.
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