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Collins native, Matt Minnick signs with the Yankees

Matt Minnick from Collins, NY is pictured signing his contract with the New York Yankees on Wednesday, June 12. Minnick was drafted in the 23rd round of the MLB Draft after an outstanding season on the mound for Mercyhurst University..

All over the world little leaguers and kids playing in the local sandlot dream of someday becoming a New York Yankee — arguably the greatest franchise in all of sports — that dream is especially true for kids from New York, and Matt Minnick of Collins, New York just might make that dream a reality. From D2 to drafted, Mercyhurst University pitcher and Collins native Matt Minnick was drafted in the 23rd round of the MLB draft by the New York Yankees.

Minnick has spent the last four years pitching at Mercyhurst, going 7-2 with a 2.88 ERA, striking out 116 batters in just 68.2 innings this past season.

Minnick, who went to St. Francis high school, says being drafted by the Yankees is “a dream come true,” as he grew up watching guys like Derek Jeter and CC Sabathia.

Now someday, he may have the opportunity to don those same pinstripes as the guys he grew up watching.

Minnick and his mother Maureen found out he was drafted during the middle of a game he was playing in, on the third day of the D2 College World Series. Mercyhurst ended up being ousted by the University of Tampa, the eventual champions, in the D2 College World Series.

After being drafted, Minnick was required to have a physical at the Yankees facility in Tampa and then signed shortly afterwards.

Minnick was relatively confident he was going to get drafted, but the ultimate questions were: who and where, as several teams had reached out to him beforehand. By the day of the draft, Minnick said he had it narrowed down to six or seven teams that were interested in him — the Yankees being included. He won’t know which minor league team he will be reporting to, but now that he’s signed, he’s just ready to take the mound.

The former Jamestown Jammer originally faced some adversity going to a D2 school like Mercyhurst. People told him his “opportunities were limited by not going D1,” but Minnick learned some valuable lessons at his school. His biggest takeaway was to not taking anything for granted. “It’s a blue collar school that lets you go in and go about your business,” Minnick says, and he learned not to take any of that for granted.

Minnick has had to work hard his whole life. Coming from an area with a population of about 6,500 people, and going to a D2 college, it can be hard to get your name out there. On top of that, having to work his way back from two seasons shortened by injury in 2017 and 2018 made the road for the Laker all the more difficult to overcome. But Minnick’s hard work has taken a huge step toward paying off. Now he just needs to keep throwing.

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