Cantleberry hopes to be playing again soon

Playing minor league baseball for a team in the Pioneer League allowed Jacob Cantleberry to experience some Rocky times.

Lengthy bus rides to and from Grand Junction, Colorado, Idaho Falls and three different cities in Montana, among other locales, enabled the former Center Grove pitcher to gaze through his window at different parts of the Rocky Mountain region of the United States.

A rookie reliever for the Ogden Raptors as recently as nine months ago, the hard-throwing lefthander was living the baseball life.

In March, Cantleberry was only a few days into his first spring training as part of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization when play shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He remained in Glendale, Arizona to do what training he could before returning home to Indiana in early May.

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“It’s been tough. It’s hard replicating what a professional schedule would be on my body. It’s like a marathon. You just don’t know when it’s going to end,” said Cantleberry, who posted a 2-1 record with one save and a 0.69 earned-run average at Ogden. “But I’ve been able to stay in baseball shape.”

Cantleberry, who turns 23 in August, has been lifting weights and throwing into a net at home. He occasionally drives to a complex in Fishers to throw with friends and plans to fly to Seattle later this month to train at Driveline Baseball, where Cantleberry expects to reconnect with coaches from the Dodgers organization.

In the meantime, he participates in four Zoom online meetings weekly. Cantleberry said he appreciates and benefits from the advice given by the likes of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and three-time National League All-Star and 1988 NL Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser.

The stoppage of baseball hasn’t been the only transition for Cantleberry, who was a starting pitcher at Center Grove, San Jacinto Community College in Texas and the University of Missouri before beginning his pro career.

Cantleberry’s fastball, which tops out at between 93 and 95 miles per hour, has been used to close out minor-league games since the Dodgers drafted him in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB draft. Cantleberry’s arsenal also includes a changeup and slider; he’s working on adding a curveball.

His 2019 rookie appearances in Glendale and Ogden produced a combined 26 1/3 innings pitched, 13 hits allowed and 35 strikeouts. Cantleberry’s ERA for the year was 1.03.

“It was my first year being a reliever full time. I think I was ready for the competition based on what I did in the (Southeastern Conference), but it was fun. I settled in pretty quick,” Cantleberry said. “Mostly, the mindset was almost easier as a reliever knowing I had to punch out three guys late in the game instead of throwing seven strong innings.

“I’m more on the intense side as a pitcher. I definitely think being a reliever fits my personality.”

Cantleberry said he remains focused on the game while sitting in the bullpen, but he makes it a point to have fun with teammates, too.

“I’m definitely able to turn it on once I get my name called,” Cantleberry said. “You have to find out what works for you.”