Photo by: Getty Images
Keeping the Faith
7/18/2023 12:22:00 PM | Baseball
Dane Myers has enjoyed a storybook first 10 major league games
Myers MLB Bio
Myers Rice Bio
After going 2x4 with his sixth homer for the Marlins' AAA affiliate in Jacksonville July 2, Dane Myers was getting as much sleep as possible before heading to the ballpark for a 4:30 game vs. Durham.
But his phone kept ringing.
Myers had endured a change of position and a year lost to a pandemic in the pursuit of his dream of playing in the majors. He had switched from pitcher to a position player late in 2019 and changed organizations over the past winter. Both changes led to a resurgence and he was flourishing as a member of the Florida Marlins. He was ready when opportunity called as evidenced by a spectacular first week with the Florida Marlins –only after nearly missing the most important call of his life.
"I guess you could say I kind of big leagued the guy calling me to tell me I was being called up. I was asleep when they called at 7:30 am, and again at 7:35 and at 7:40. They finally called my roommate to wake me up so I could take the call."
With that call, his journey from a two-way standout at Rice who had been drafted by Detroit in the sixth round of the 2017 draft after leading Rice to a Conference USA tournament title had reached its ultimate destination.
His unwavering faith, bolstered by the support of his family and friends, had been rewarded.
He had overcome the reality that his pitching arm which made him a prospect to watch in his first two seasons with the Tigers had begun to rebel from the demands of the game, causing him to initiate the decision to dip into his bag of skills to return to a spot in the batting order, looking to reclaim the skills that saw him hit .358 as a senior with eight homers and 42 RBI.
Myers compiled a 2.94 ERA in his first two minor league seasons with the Tigers, but his ERA ballooned to 6.54 in 15 games at Lakeland in the Florida State League during the first half of 2019 the season.
"I had hit some during off-season camps each year, but I felt like I was making progress as a pitcher during my first couple of years. In 2019 my shoulder was hurting and things started to tail off and I was sent to the bullpen. When you're a starting pitcher or position player, you have a pretty set routine as opposed to what it's like being a reliever. I really missed that routine."
His solution was to mention to the Tigers over the All-Star break that maybe he should make the switch to a position player.
"When I got called into the office and I wasn't sure if I was going to get released or not, but they told me they agreed and wanted to send me down to rookie ball and work as a position player. I was excited and my goal was to show what I could do there in a couple of games and get promoted to an affiliate."
He was 2x3 with a double and two RBI in his debut against Rookie League pitching, but in his third game, he tore his labrum, ending his season, and hopes to provide further evidence of his potential.
Over the off-season, he was rehabbing and was faced with trying to make a continued impression while not being at full strength as Spring Training began. But before it could become an issue, the CoVID 19 pandemic shut down the season. While the major leagues would eventually return later in the summer, thousands of minor league players found themselves without a season.
"It was probably a bit of a blessing in disguise for me since my shoulder had a chance to get fully healthy and I didn't fall behind anyone."
After a year of healing and taking countless rounds of hitting off of live pitching, he was ready to hit the field healthy and continue the pursuit of his major league dream in the spring of 2021.
He hit a combined .292 with stops at West Michigan, Lakeland and finally the AA level at Erie, but was limited to just 45 games because of a nagging hamstring issue. For 10 games in early August, he and former Owl Trei Cruz were teammates with Lakeland, and the two would join together again for the last month of Erie's 2022 season.
Myers came into 2022 knowing it was a crucial year. He was in his fifth season as a pro and there was a great likelihood that he would be available to other teams in the Rule 5 draft in the off-season. He spent most of the year at Erie, slamming 25 homers which ranked third in the Eastern League as the SeaWolves reached the championship series. He had his first taste of AAA, hitting .256 in 14 games at Toledo.
It was a solid season and it was not lost on the Marlins, who picked him during the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft after Myers was not added to the Tigers' 40-man roster.
He opened this season at Double-A Pensacola and after scuffling to a 7x36 start (.194), he hit .315 over his next 39 games to earn a return trip to AAA with Jacksonville where he picked up the pace, hitting .440 with six homers and 21 RBI in 20 games, setting the stage for the phone call every minor league dreams about.
When Myers was selected by the Marlins, he was going to a team that had finished the 2022 season with a 69-93 record, but when he got the call to join the major league club, it was one that was 49-37 and in the thick of the chase for a postseason berth. Despite his hot start, he didn't know how their equally hot start might impact his chances for a promotion.
"Being new to the Marlins organization, I wasn't sure about how they felt about (deciding which) guys to bring up. I knew I was putting together a good season and had faith that I would get my chance. Given my age, I assumed I'd get my chance and tried to stay focused on doing my job."
One day after finally answering his phone, he was in the dugout as the Marlins hosted the St. Louis Cardinals. The crowd of 16,437 was bolstered by 30 friends and family who had rushed to Miami to share the moment with Myers.
He entered the game in the fifth inning with the Marlins leading 7-0 after Jonathan Davis was injured and collected a pair of singles, scored twice, and drove in another. He became just the fifth Marlin in franchise history to have at least multiple hits and runs and also drive in at least one run in his MLB debut.
He made his first start the following day and was 2x4 and followed that with his first career extra-base hit in the next game, matching Mark Quinn as the only Owls to hit safely in the first three games of their major league career. The Phillies held him hitless in his fourth game, but he headed to the All-Star break with back-to-back 2x4 efforts, driving in two runs in one game and collecting his first career home run in the other.
"100% for sure I didn't want to have a break, and the first thing I did when I got back to Houston was to start looking for someone so I could face some live pitching."
Whatever work in found over the break kept him sharp and he opened the second half of the year hitting in three of the first four games (7x14), including back-to-back three-hit games. His 16 hits in his first 10 major league games are a Marlins record.
The skill of major league pitchers was the thing that stood out immediately to Myers in his first week in the majors.
"The guys up here are so good at exploiting your weaknesses. Guys in the minors are not as good at following a scouting report, but that's not the case here."
One veteran pitcher he may see in the near future is former Rice teammate Glenn Otto, while he can count on another former Owl, J.T. Chargois, as a teammate on the Marlins. They had met only in passing during Myers's time at Rice when Chargois came back to campus to work out after his first seasons in the minors, but have had a chance to spend more time in the Marlins clubhouse.
As the Marlins extended their lead in his MLB debut to 15-3, St. Louis turned to first baseman Alec Burleson, who had been a two-way star in college at East Carolina, to retire the final Marlins hitters. Given his own background as a pitcher, Myers also knows that in the event a future game gets out of hand at some point, he could be called to revisit the mound and he keeps a portion of his former arsenal in his toolkit.
"I work in a few changeups while I am throwing before the game, just in case. I don't mess with any of the breaking balls, but I can but if I get out there, I can give them a few at 95 and mix in some changeups".
Having a position player enter a game late and surprise a hitter with not-so-position-playeresque velocity is something he's already experienced on the other side.
"It happened to me earlier this year (with Pensacola). We were playing Birmingham and were up 20-3. I was up and had a 3-2 count when the lights went out. We had about a 20-minute delay and when we came back, they had a position player on the mound. He was lobbing his warmup pitches, but when I got in the box, the first one was 95. I never expected that, but thankfully it was a ball."
Myers Rice Bio
After going 2x4 with his sixth homer for the Marlins' AAA affiliate in Jacksonville July 2, Dane Myers was getting as much sleep as possible before heading to the ballpark for a 4:30 game vs. Durham.
But his phone kept ringing.
Myers had endured a change of position and a year lost to a pandemic in the pursuit of his dream of playing in the majors. He had switched from pitcher to a position player late in 2019 and changed organizations over the past winter. Both changes led to a resurgence and he was flourishing as a member of the Florida Marlins. He was ready when opportunity called as evidenced by a spectacular first week with the Florida Marlins –only after nearly missing the most important call of his life.
"I guess you could say I kind of big leagued the guy calling me to tell me I was being called up. I was asleep when they called at 7:30 am, and again at 7:35 and at 7:40. They finally called my roommate to wake me up so I could take the call."
With that call, his journey from a two-way standout at Rice who had been drafted by Detroit in the sixth round of the 2017 draft after leading Rice to a Conference USA tournament title had reached its ultimate destination.
His unwavering faith, bolstered by the support of his family and friends, had been rewarded.
He had overcome the reality that his pitching arm which made him a prospect to watch in his first two seasons with the Tigers had begun to rebel from the demands of the game, causing him to initiate the decision to dip into his bag of skills to return to a spot in the batting order, looking to reclaim the skills that saw him hit .358 as a senior with eight homers and 42 RBI.
Myers compiled a 2.94 ERA in his first two minor league seasons with the Tigers, but his ERA ballooned to 6.54 in 15 games at Lakeland in the Florida State League during the first half of 2019 the season.
"I had hit some during off-season camps each year, but I felt like I was making progress as a pitcher during my first couple of years. In 2019 my shoulder was hurting and things started to tail off and I was sent to the bullpen. When you're a starting pitcher or position player, you have a pretty set routine as opposed to what it's like being a reliever. I really missed that routine."
His solution was to mention to the Tigers over the All-Star break that maybe he should make the switch to a position player.
"When I got called into the office and I wasn't sure if I was going to get released or not, but they told me they agreed and wanted to send me down to rookie ball and work as a position player. I was excited and my goal was to show what I could do there in a couple of games and get promoted to an affiliate."
He was 2x3 with a double and two RBI in his debut against Rookie League pitching, but in his third game, he tore his labrum, ending his season, and hopes to provide further evidence of his potential.
Over the off-season, he was rehabbing and was faced with trying to make a continued impression while not being at full strength as Spring Training began. But before it could become an issue, the CoVID 19 pandemic shut down the season. While the major leagues would eventually return later in the summer, thousands of minor league players found themselves without a season.
"It was probably a bit of a blessing in disguise for me since my shoulder had a chance to get fully healthy and I didn't fall behind anyone."
After a year of healing and taking countless rounds of hitting off of live pitching, he was ready to hit the field healthy and continue the pursuit of his major league dream in the spring of 2021.
He hit a combined .292 with stops at West Michigan, Lakeland and finally the AA level at Erie, but was limited to just 45 games because of a nagging hamstring issue. For 10 games in early August, he and former Owl Trei Cruz were teammates with Lakeland, and the two would join together again for the last month of Erie's 2022 season.
Myers came into 2022 knowing it was a crucial year. He was in his fifth season as a pro and there was a great likelihood that he would be available to other teams in the Rule 5 draft in the off-season. He spent most of the year at Erie, slamming 25 homers which ranked third in the Eastern League as the SeaWolves reached the championship series. He had his first taste of AAA, hitting .256 in 14 games at Toledo.
It was a solid season and it was not lost on the Marlins, who picked him during the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft after Myers was not added to the Tigers' 40-man roster.
He opened this season at Double-A Pensacola and after scuffling to a 7x36 start (.194), he hit .315 over his next 39 games to earn a return trip to AAA with Jacksonville where he picked up the pace, hitting .440 with six homers and 21 RBI in 20 games, setting the stage for the phone call every minor league dreams about.
When Myers was selected by the Marlins, he was going to a team that had finished the 2022 season with a 69-93 record, but when he got the call to join the major league club, it was one that was 49-37 and in the thick of the chase for a postseason berth. Despite his hot start, he didn't know how their equally hot start might impact his chances for a promotion.
"Being new to the Marlins organization, I wasn't sure about how they felt about (deciding which) guys to bring up. I knew I was putting together a good season and had faith that I would get my chance. Given my age, I assumed I'd get my chance and tried to stay focused on doing my job."
One day after finally answering his phone, he was in the dugout as the Marlins hosted the St. Louis Cardinals. The crowd of 16,437 was bolstered by 30 friends and family who had rushed to Miami to share the moment with Myers.
He entered the game in the fifth inning with the Marlins leading 7-0 after Jonathan Davis was injured and collected a pair of singles, scored twice, and drove in another. He became just the fifth Marlin in franchise history to have at least multiple hits and runs and also drive in at least one run in his MLB debut.
His first swim in the big leagues. pic.twitter.com/8ZQToQ7Eo5
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 4, 2023
"His whole life, we knew that he was special...he's worked so hard for this."@JessBlaylock catches up with @danemyers3's mom Rhonda about her son's big league debut!
— Bally Sports Florida: Marlins (@BallyMarlins) July 4, 2023
Tune in for more with Rhonda RIGHT NOW → https://t.co/27i9Ws4Vb9@Marlins | #MakeItMiami pic.twitter.com/qwBFd07Ta1
He made his first start the following day and was 2x4 and followed that with his first career extra-base hit in the next game, matching Mark Quinn as the only Owls to hit safely in the first three games of their major league career. The Phillies held him hitless in his fourth game, but he headed to the All-Star break with back-to-back 2x4 efforts, driving in two runs in one game and collecting his first career home run in the other.
First deep dive for our fish, Dane. pic.twitter.com/AUVXkoD6xa
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 9, 2023
He closed the first half having collected multiple hits in four of his first six major league games, good for a .409 average. The last thing he wanted was to have a three-day break for the All-Star Game.Dane Myers hit his first career HR in a @Marlins 7-3 win over the Phillies.
— Marlins Radio (@MarlinsRadio) July 9, 2023
Myers joined @SStrom_ on @MarlinsRadio after the series victory. pic.twitter.com/s3xewQFoUa
"100% for sure I didn't want to have a break, and the first thing I did when I got back to Houston was to start looking for someone so I could face some live pitching."
Whatever work in found over the break kept him sharp and he opened the second half of the year hitting in three of the first four games (7x14), including back-to-back three-hit games. His 16 hits in his first 10 major league games are a Marlins record.
The skill of major league pitchers was the thing that stood out immediately to Myers in his first week in the majors.
"The guys up here are so good at exploiting your weaknesses. Guys in the minors are not as good at following a scouting report, but that's not the case here."
One veteran pitcher he may see in the near future is former Rice teammate Glenn Otto, while he can count on another former Owl, J.T. Chargois, as a teammate on the Marlins. They had met only in passing during Myers's time at Rice when Chargois came back to campus to work out after his first seasons in the minors, but have had a chance to spend more time in the Marlins clubhouse.
As the Marlins extended their lead in his MLB debut to 15-3, St. Louis turned to first baseman Alec Burleson, who had been a two-way star in college at East Carolina, to retire the final Marlins hitters. Given his own background as a pitcher, Myers also knows that in the event a future game gets out of hand at some point, he could be called to revisit the mound and he keeps a portion of his former arsenal in his toolkit.
"I work in a few changeups while I am throwing before the game, just in case. I don't mess with any of the breaking balls, but I can but if I get out there, I can give them a few at 95 and mix in some changeups".
Having a position player enter a game late and surprise a hitter with not-so-position-playeresque velocity is something he's already experienced on the other side.
"It happened to me earlier this year (with Pensacola). We were playing Birmingham and were up 20-3. I was up and had a 3-2 count when the lights went out. We had about a 20-minute delay and when we came back, they had a position player on the mound. He was lobbing his warmup pitches, but when I got in the box, the first one was 95. I never expected that, but thankfully it was a ball."
Players Mentioned
if/p
/ BaseballWBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09
VB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02