March 29, 2023

David Calabrese, spring training big leaguer, on his way

By Melissa Verge

Canadian Baseball Network

The opponent doesn’t matter. His brother in a pickup backyard game.

The Cincinnati Reds in a March 5 spring training game.

When OF David Calabrese dons his jersey and laces up his cleats, he’s playing to win.

If he’s outmatched, that’s okay. He’s there to “fight the battle” he said, with his weapon - a baseball bat.

That competitive spirit fueled a fiery Calabrese (Maple, Ont.) from the ball fields near his hometown, all the way to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim top 30 prospects list, and a big league spring training in Arizona.

Although the stakes are a little higher for the early March game than in his younger playing days, he says he doesn’t have any nerves. Those all went away when he took the field. He feels comfortable in the box, which he credits to the hours of hard work he’s put in during the off-season.

Fans may not know who he is.

He knows exactly who he is.

It’s who he’s always been, from a young boy glued to Toronto Blue Jays games and big-league highlights on TV, to a young man standing in the batter’s box ready to see his first pitch on the big stage.

He’s passionate about the game and he’s passionate about winning.

“My whole life I’ve loved the game,” Calabrese said.

He’s described in his scouting report as a left-handed hitter with a “smaller frame” with “the feel of a potential table-setter if it all clicks.”

That’s exactly what the 26th ranked prospect in the Angels system does in his spring debut. He gets himself on base with a single to right in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Once on base, he’s speedy and a threat to steal.

It fits in well with the way his former coach, Sean Travers with the Ontario Blue Jays, describes him.

“When he’s putting the ball in play he’s very dangerous,” Travers said, who coached Calabrese from 13 to 18 years old with the Ontario Blue Jays. The other coaches who steered the speedster down the right path “go to first and turn left” -- included Joey Ellison, Eddie (Every Day) Largy, Francis Cubos, Taylor Bratton, Mr. Pat Visca and Greg Byron.

Calabrese was the third Canadian selected in the COVID-19 shortened five-round 2020 draft. He went to the Angels in the third round and was given a $744,200 US signing bonus. It was the first time the Angels have given a Canadian a six-figure bonus since Canadians high schoolers became eligible for the draft in 1991.

Growing up, everything he wanted to do revolved around sports, and if it didn’t, he wasn’t happy about it, Calabrese said. As a young kid he played baseball with his older brother, Nicolas. He’d spend a lot of time at the diamond watching his brother play rep ball, always making sure to bring his glove and ball along with him.

There’s nothing like sibling rivalry to fuel a competitive spirit, and that early experience taught him two things - he loved to play, and he loved to win.

His love for the game and desire to continue to better himself on the field were evident from the early days, his father, Nick Calabrese said.

“You know what, you can tell when a child has a passion for something, and David definitely had a passion for baseball,” he said. “Just seeing how much he loved hitting the ball, running around the bases, catching a ball, throwing a ball, all aspects of the game.”

He’s always been extremely disciplined, his dad said, putting in hours of work to get to where he is now at the pro level. Last year was his first full season in the minors -- at class-A Inland Empire, where he was 26-for-28 stealing bases-- and he’s set to start this season off with double-A Rocket City.

This past off-season, he’s put in a lot of work. It helped with the nerves on his first big league spring training appearance, but will hopefully lead to more benefits throughout the year. This spring, he was 2-for-7 in six games with a double and a walk. He struck out twice.

His focus was to improve “everything,” he said, and become a better overall player. He spent a lot of time making sure he stayed on top of his routine with his body, which included getting stronger and a hitting routine.

Adding that strength is going to be key to him being a successful athlete at the big league level. The scouting report describes him as likely “a fourth-outfielder type, unless he can add strength and impact the ball more as he moves up.”

Outside of the off-season he also has a daily routine, making sure he gets his cage work in, prep work for his body, and keeping up with his healthy eating. At the park they’re provided meals from the team, but at home, it’s a little different.

“I’m on my mom’s cooking routine,” the 20-year-old said. “And luckily for me, she cooks really great meals that help me get my body in a good spot.”

His competitive spirit combined with his skills, workout routine, and his mom’s cooking, will hopefully all keep him on track. His estimated time of arrival at the big-league station is 2025.

Every time the former Junior National Team member takes the field, whether that be a big league spring training game, or a regular season game in double-A ball, he doesn’t take it for granted. He plays with the same competitive spirit he played with as a young kid on the field in Ontario.

“I just try to cherish every moment, because you never know what day is your last,” he said. “And every time I put on that jersey, I just try to give it my all and play for everything I’ve worked for my entire life.”

As for winning?

“That’s all I want to do this year [is win].”