Devin Mesoraco was just 19 when the Reds took him with their first pick in the 2007 draft. Like most people at that age, the native of Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania, assumed every day would be filled with progress. They have confidence. They have no concept of real adversity that will lie in store.
Once in the Major Leagues the thrills start to be checked off first game, first hit, first home run.
It took the catcher just three plus years to breeze through the minor leagues, reaching the Reds in 2011. At three months past his 21st birthday he hit his first home run off the Cubs Rodrigo Lopez.
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"As a rookie, I was a big prospect guy. I knew I was going to get a lot of opportunities,” Mesoraco said.
Mesoraco was an All-Star in 2014 at the age of 26. He signed a four-year contract extension in January 2015 which tied him to the Reds through 2018.
Adversity bit him early that spring.
Mesoraco tried to help the team as a pinch hitter. He was working with Billy Hatcher to learn the to play leftfield because a hip impingement prevented him from squatting behind the plate. On May 25 he was shut down for the season after 23 games, having surgery on June 26 to repair his left hip..
After putting in a lot of work, he was in spring training in 2016 then his left shoulder acted up. It was repaired by having labrum surgery on his left shoulder. He also had surgery on his right hip this time.
The Reds eased the catcher back into playing shape, Mesoraco had to pass tests before he would move on to the next activity. The graduation from the battery of tests ended on Friday (4/28/17) in St. Louis.
Mesoraco hit a long drive to the upper dek in the sixth inning off Trevor Williams on Wednesday to put the Reds up 7-0..
It ended nearly three seasons of an injury riddled drought that limited the Reds’ catcher to 39 games the past two seasons. Mesoraco last homered on September 23, 2014 off the Brewers’ Mike Friers, 117 at bats ago.
Mesoraco hit a long drive to the upper dek in the sixth inning off Trevor Williams to put the Reds up seven zip. It was the 42nd home run of his career.
It ended nearly three seasons of an injury riddled drought that limited the Reds’ catcher to 39 games the past two seasons. Mesoraco last homered on September 23, 2014 off the Brewers’ Mike Friers, 117 at bats ago.
It was a lot of hard work by not onlyMesoraco, but a large group of trainers and coaches in the Reds’ system that got him back and provide more meaning to the long awaited home run.
'I would say this one kind of means a little bit more than my first Major League home run," Mesoraco said. “Coming back after everything that happened; getting to go out and have a chance to help the team. I am very thankful. I feel I owe them a good performance after not being available the last couple years. I feel like there was never any doubts in my mind that I would all happen, the hits and home runs and being able to be a good player, but it is rewarding all the hard work and all the people that helped me get to this position. It definitely means a lot with the training staff, Don Long.throughout the last couple years. I'm very thankful for the people around me."
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