Craig Pearson
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE — Two men that played a big role in Indiana State’s runner-up finish in the Missouri Valley Conference made an appearance at ISU’s home opener Saturday at the new Bob Warn Field.
While both Nick Ciolli and Brady Shoemaker wished the stadium had been upgraded during their time as Sycamores, they were excited to see progress being made. And the corner outfield duo were preparing to leave for the greener pastures of Arizona for minor league spring training with the Chicago White Sox.
Ciolli, a former Terre Haute North standout, and Shoemaker, who starred at Northview, leave today to put in a few weeks of work with their fellow Sox outfielders. Josh Phegley, who was the first of this Wabash Valley trio taken by the White Sox in the 2009 draft, had already arrived in Glendale, Ariz., with pitchers and catchers. Phegley was 2 for 2 in one exhibition game appearance during his time on the extended big-league roster.
In 2010, Ciolli and Shoemaker are hoping to build on the outstanding seasons they had to open their professional careers.
The 22-year-old Ciolli led the Rookie Pioneer League in home runs (7) and stolen bases (23-27), while hitting .317 with 36 RBIs in 63 games.
Shoemaker tortured pitchers in the Rookie Appalachian, belting nine homers and 21 doubles in 205 at-bats with a .351 average for the Bristol Sox. Shoemaker’s on-base plus slugging percentage was a league best 1.011.
With the Charlotte Knights facing a shortage of players late in the summer, Shoemaker was called up to the AAA level, just one step away from the major leagues.
“I’ve got an experience and I’ll never forget it. Hopefully I can get back there some day,” Shoemaker said after returning to his parents’ Brazil home last fall.
Shoemaker hit just .103 in eight games at AAA, but he connected for one home run in 29 at-bats against experienced pitchers, some that have played in the big leagues.
“The competition was at a whole other level,” Shoemaker said. “The control was a lot better. They’d been around, they knew what they were doing. I made good contact, hit the ball, wasn’t lucky enough to get hits I guess.”
“It was a neat experience. Learned a lot of new stuff in the first year,” Shoemaker added. “Kind of know what to expect now. Both of us are looking forward to spring training and that new experience.”
Shoemaker and Ciolli could be headed for a start in high-A ball with the hopes of showing they’re worthy of a home higher up in the system.
From instructional leagues to a Rookie League coach, professionals have many sets of eyes, including their own, to critique their swing.
“It’s nice getting broke down again,” Ciolli said. “You’re working around the best in the game now. It just shows how little you know. They change everything up and you start to see the big picture, and everything’s starting to come together now.”
Ciolli, a left-handed swinging hitter, focused on multiple aspects of the game last season.
“I really tried breaking down the game, watching a lot of film,” he said. “When it’s just baseball and no school, you can really break the game down and I’m really trying to work on every aspect now.”
Both guys said they’ve continued to be students of the game — just taking their dedication up another level.
“Every month you’ll face the same guy over and over again so you’ve really got to pick up things, just take notes and watch people closely,” Ciolli said. “After every game, I’ll go downstairs and write down how the pitcher threw me, different patterns.”
Proving themselves worthy of the big leagues will take focus every day.
Shoemaker’s taste of AAA only helped him realize how much he wants to get to the highest level.
“It was definitely a lot different than Rookie league as far as traveling,” he said. “They took care of you a lot better at the AAA level. You were fed before the game, fed after the game.”
“Every day you face top-notch players. You’ve got to show up to play or they take advantage of it. Just go out and give it my best effort whatever happens.”
