Jordan Woods makes the long, long trek to mound in KC Royals' system

“With a commitment to East Tennessee State on the table, Jordan Woods seemed destined to head south in the fall of 2022.

A product of the Terriers and the Junior National Team, Woods (Oakville, Ont.) saw things take a turn.

Before the 2022 draft, Woods underwent Tommy John surgery and switched his sights from college to pro ball in the blink of an eye.

After the July draft, he signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals, had elbow surgery and then rehabbed. And rehabbed. And rehabbed. He did not pitch in 2022 and did not pitch during 2023. Woods made his return to live action with his first in-game pitches Thursday night in Surprise, Ariz.”

Read More
Verge: Ex-Jay Snider sharing experiences to be mental health advocate in youth sports

“Alone in a hotel room, with no screaming crowd and bright lights to distract him from his own mind, Travis Snider spirals.

The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder is struggling at the plate, with his self worth, and with unhealed childhood trauma that he’s tried to repress.

“I still never got to the point of grieving, of processing these emotions to where I could just let go of it and go play the game,” Snider said. “I was always carrying that baggage with me.”

Read More