Since the start of the six-game series against the Midland RockHounds on Tuesday, former Odessa College pitcher Chandler Casey has seen plenty of familiar faces in the stands.
The right-handed relief pitcher for the Corpus Christi Hooks has seen former teammates, former coaches and most notably his parents, who have made the two-hour trip from Wolfforth to see their son play professional baseball.
Casey pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings on Wednesday night as he struck out one and walked one. He earned a hold and helped the Hooks to a 3-1 win.
“As a reliever, you really don’t know when you are going to go in there, so you always have to be prepared,” said Casey, who was a 26th round selection by the Houston Astros in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft. “I think that’s why I love it so much. You are locked into every game. You are locked into every situation knowing that it could be your time.”
Through five appearances Casey has pitched 10 2/3 innings, allowed two runs, six hits, struck out two and walked eight. Casey has a 1.69 ERA.
Odessa College head baseball coach Kurtis Lay was in attendance for Wednesday’s game. Lay said when Casey took the mound he had flashbacks of when Casey pitched for the Wranglers.
“It’s one of those things as a former coach you are almost nervous for him, because you want him to do well,” Lay said during a phone interview on Thursday afternoon. “I was super proud. He did a good job. It’s like being a proud parent. I was so happy for him. It was an awesome experience to see him out there doing what he wants for a living.”
The Odessa American spoke with Casey’s parents, Tate and Kym, prior to Thursday’s game between the Hooks and the RockHounds. Tate Casey said Wednesday’s performance was as comfortable as he’s seen his son pitch in professional baseball. Tate and Kym Casey watched their son pitch on multiple occasions during the 2021 season when he was with the Asheville Tourists.
“He seemed like he belonged (Wednesday night),” Tate Casey said. “Sometimes you just don’t know. I was telling him from the moment when he was tee ball I asked ‘Did he belong?’ and I would ask that at each stage. On Wednesday night, he looked like a Double-A baseball player. He looked really good and really confident.”
Kym Casey said it’s special to be able to drive two hours and see her son play professional baseball. Tate and Kym Casey will also have the opportunity for a short two-hour drive north of Wolfforth when the Hooks have their six-game series against the Amarillo Sod Poodles beginning July 26.
“It’s still mind boggling to me, quite honestly, that he’s doing this,” Kym Casey said. “Him doing what he loves to do means so much. I’ll start crying. It’s a wonderful thing.”
After he was drafted by the Astros in 2019, Casey signed his first professional contract on June 12 and was assigned to the GCL Astros, which is the parent club’s Rookie team. He appeared in five games and started one. Casey allowed no runs, two hits, three walks and struck out four in 5-2/3 innings.
Casey was ready for his first full season in the Astros minor league system in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic shut down the country and canceled the minor league baseball season.
Throughout 2020, Casey stayed with his parents in Wolfforth and continued working out to prepare himself for the 2021 season. Casey said he pitched into a net, by himself, at Frenship High School and Lubbock Baseball Academy. Casey said the Lubbock Baseball Academy let him workout almost daily.
“I told myself every day that baseball is going to come back and I had to be ready for it,” Casey said. “I didn’t want the moment to pass me by. I wanted to be ready when the chance came and finally after a year it did and I was able to look in the mirror to know that I’m ready for this. I just kept that mentality until now. Be ready for the moment.”
For the Wranglers, Casey appeared in 23 games and made four starts as a freshman. He finished with a 9.00 earned run average with 37 strikeouts and 27 walks in 48 innings. Casey transitioned into a full-time starter as he made 14 appearances with 13 starts during his sophomore season. He finished with an 8-3 record with 61 strikeouts and 24 walks over 77 innings.
After two years with Odessa College, Casey signed with LCU where he compiled an 11-6 record over two years with 2.45 ERA with 135 strikeouts and 27 walks over 139-1/3 innings.
Casey admitted that after his freshman season he questioned if playing college baseball was the right decision. He said after a conversation with his mother that he believes in himself that he can do anything.
“Once I told myself that nothing was going to hold me down, that’s when I really thought ‘Why not me?’” Casey said. “Since that day, I always thought I could play in the MLB.”
