March 11, 2020

By Olli Tiihonen

Canadian Baseball Network

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Lansing Lugnuts’ relief pitcher Andy McGuire smiles under the Florida sun as a healthy player.

Last year, his first spring training, he pulled a groin muscle.

“I came here really excited, ready to go, felt good and got hurt,” McGuire said. “I had to just battle physically and mentally being able to come back.”

The struggle wasn’t the first one, McGuire, 25, has gone through in his career. He was at the University of Texas in 2015, but didn’t feel it was the best place for him. He transferred to University of South Carolina, stayed there only two-and-a-half weeks, decided it wasn’t a good fit and went back to Texas.

“Once I got (to South Carolina) I was like, ‘No.’ At that point it was more like me as a person, my values and priorities of the time,” McGuire said. “It’s a tough decision to make in the moment because you don’t know what you are giving up and sacrificing. But looking back, that was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

The return to Texas wasn’t easy, either. The Longhorns didn’t have a roster spot for him. It took two seasons and a coaching change for him to get back on the team.

“Going through things like that gives me, mentally, a bit of a leg up over a lot of guys because most people don’t have to go through that.”

McGuire says 2018 was one of the best of his life. He got back on the team, played in the College World Series, was drafted in the 28th round by the Toronto Blue Jays and played for the rookie-league Bluefield Blue Jays.

A year later he played 23 games for the class-A Lugnuts and Vancouver Canadians and posted a 3.95 earned-run average in 43 1/3 innings. The Moroccan-born pitcher, who came to the United States with his parents when he was three years old, used to bat in college as well (he struck out in his only CWS at bat), but those days are over for now.

“Naturally, I’m a two-way player,” he says. “I think it’s easier to develop and move more quickly as a relief pitcher because there is just a high demand for pitching all the time, especially for someone who has unique style like I do.”

Struggles through his career have taught to McGuire a lot about navigating his life.

“I’ve learned, don’t be afraid if you’re out of your comfort zone or don’t be afraid to take a risk,” McGuire said. “In the moment, you don’t know, and it might feel scary and you don’t really understand what might happen.

“But at least you don’t have any regrets.”