The Phillies selected nineteen players in the draft and also extended offers to multiple un-drafted free agents. This afternoon many of those young men are signing their initial professional baseball contract at the complex.
We ventured over this morning to see if any workouts were being held as today’s FCL game with the Yankees scheduled to be played in Tampa was postponed due to wet grounds, we are in the midst of our rainy season here in Florida so getting games in becomes quite a challenge.
As we walked in we were fortunate to meet Corey Dissin and Bobby Flick, Corey is the proud father of 12th round draft selection Jordan Dissin and Bobby is Jordan’s agent. Jordan is a catcher and graduate of Malvern Prep High School in Malvern, PA. He initially began his collegiate career at the University of Richmond before transferring to Saddleback Junior College in Mission Viejo, California.
Corey spoke about how surreal it is that Jordan, a young man who grew up in Pottstown, PA and his family had moved across the country to California to afford him an opportunity to play advanced collegiate baseball to be selected in the draft by the Phillies, his home town team. He beamed as his spoke of his son’s accomplishment.
As we stood near the front door of the complex Jordan came by in his new Phillies practice gear, he jokingly greeted his dad with a “What are you doing here ?” inquiry. He told him that he had passed the physical and was ready to sign - that the team would notify him at what time this afternoon that would take place.
Corey said he would be very emotional as he watched that event - I asked him how the family reacted when they heard Jordan’s name called in the draft and he said they went crazy and were overcome with joy. It’s one of the things I find very exciting in the baseball profession - the moments when all the efforts of amateur baseball crosses into the professional stature. It’s of course just the beginning and the grind of pro baseball will test the love of the game and ability to persevere of any player who’s fortunate enough to have the opportunity. But yet it’s a privilege that only a few are afforded and that’s a honor and feat of accomplishment that absolutely deserves celebration and emotion.
Jordan Dissin now embarks on his pro baseball career as a Philadelphia Phillie - he gets to play on the same hallowed ground here in Clearwater that guys like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard did - players he watched during his childhood - he was just six in 2008 - the championship season 😳😎.
Sometimes you gotta go far away to find your way back home - from California to Clearwater and hopefully in a few years back to Philly and on the field at CBP. That’s pretty cool and indeed surreal.
Congrats Jordan as well to your family and to all the other young men and their families who will sign their initial Phillies pro contracts either today or in the near future.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
Corey and Jordan Dissin at his signing today
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