What are you planning on doing after graduation? Heading to grad school? Getting a job on Wall Street?
2015 College graduate Ronnie Glenn is taking none of the typically prescribed post-grad paths. Instead, the lefty pitcher is working his way up through the Los Angeles Angels organization.
After being selected in the 22nd round of June’s first-year player draft, Glenn spent his summer pitching for the Orem (Utah) Owlz, the Angels’ advanced-rookie minor league affiliate. Glenn was impressive in 41 innings of action, sporting a 6-1 record and a 3.73 earned run average.
After starting for the bulk of his Penn career, the southpaw made the transition to the bullpen in Orem, pitching all of his 23 games in relief.
“It wasn’t too hard of an adjustment, it was something I had done before,” said Glenn, who was a reliever during his time in the Cape Cod League in 2014. “It’s just pitching, that’s all it is. It’s just a different role.”
Immediately following the season, Glenn made his way to the Angels’ Fall Advanced Instructional League in Arizona. The league is invitation-only, providing the organization’s more promising prospects a chance to work on their game in the offseason.
“They saw some things that they wanted me to continue working on,” Glenn said. “There’s a lot of one-on-one instruction, situational pitching, mental game strategies.”
The league features players from all over the Angels’ organizational ladder, providing Glenn with a level of competition he has never before seen.
“I’m playing with Double-A, Triple-A guys, there’s a couple of big leaguers." Almost in awe, Glenn added, "I’m on the field with big leaguers. … It’s something I can almost grab now.”
When the Fall League wraps up in about a week, Glenn will spend his offseason working out back home in Florida.
“They have a complete program for us — conditioning, lifting, nutrition," he said. "They want us to come back for spring training in February in the best shape of our lives.”
On-the-field play aside, one of the more pronounced adjustments a player must make to minor league life is cultural — players are in direct competition with their teammates for spots on the major league roster. Nevertheless, Glenn was impressed by the Owlz’ ability to maintain a healthy team attitude.
“That was something I was concerned about coming in to pro ball — coming from a college team, where everything’s about the team and unity,” Glenn said. “And obviously this is a career, where stats matter. But the team was a really, really, down-to-earth group of players and friends. Of course they care about their own growth and development, but they’re always there for you as well.”
Glenn is not the only 2015 Quaker graduate to be playing in the minor leagues: Catcher Austin Bossart was selected in the 14th round and is working his way up the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league ladder.
“Being the best friends that we are, it just sort of felt like another summer,” Glenn said of his relationship with Bossart. “We’ve kept in touch as well as we can. He might actually be coming down to Florida before spring training, and we might be training together.”
Glenn is hesitant to reveal exactly where he expects to play next season and beyond, although a return to Orem or a promotion to the Class-A Burlington Bees look like his most likely destinations.
“I think [the Angels organization] is expecting big things from me. I just need to keep working hard in the offseason and not letting [sic] a single day go by,” Glenn said.
“Because this dream becomes more realistic every day.”
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