MIDLAND The life of a minor league baseball player has many twists and turns.
One day they can be part of a Triple-A roster waiting to get their shot at the majors, only to be moved to High-A a few weeks later.
Midland RockHounds infielder Marty Bechina has recently been through that process, making moves from the Las Vegas Aviators to the Lansing Lugnuts and ultimately returning to Midland.
Bechina played in 26 games for the RockHounds during the 2021 season before moving up to Triple-A Las Vegas.
That stretch in the Permian Basin saw him put up 22 hits with 10 RBIs before playing 56 games for the Aviators.
He said the transactions this year have felt like a roller coaster.
“I had a little bit of it last year, I’m just kind of ready wherever they need me,” Bechina said. “Don’t really know what to expect at this point, but wherever I go I’m just going to play hard and it’s really all I’m focused on.”
The infielder added that he was missing his pitch during his stint in Las Vegas, but figured things out early when he was sent to Lansing.
Bechina played in 13 games for the Lugnuts this season, recording a .267 batting average and bringing in five runners.
Being in Lansing gave Bechina the chance to get more playing time while being closer to his alma mater, Michigan State, in East Lansing, Mich.
“I hadn’t been back since I graduated in 2019 in December,” Bechina said. “It was kind of weird but I became very comfortable real quick, it’s not too far from home.”
The Chicago native also got to see friends and family, something a lot of minor league players don’t get throughout the long campaign.
Bechina was on the bench in his first game back for the RockHounds, but batted second when they faced the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Thursday at Momentum Bank Ballpark.
He was one of two players making their return to the franchise, with JJ Schwarz also being sent down from the Aviators.
RockHounds manager Bobby Crosby said the duo was sent in after his team started dealing with injuries and he is looking forward to Bechina’s ability to play any position.
Bechina is a player who can make an impact in the infield and outfield, playing center field Thursday and left field Friday.
Crosby said the way Bechina plays the game stood out in the stretch that he spent with the RockHounds last year.
“He’s an all-around ball player,” Crosby said. “Wherever I put him in the lineup, I know he’s going to do good things.”
Before Bechina’s return, the RockHounds were on a five-game losing streak.
They turned things around with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings, recording three hits as a team.
Bechina went 0-for-4 at the plate in that contest, but felt he needed to get back into a rhythm after missing out on game action for a few days.
He recorded a hit in the RockHounds’ 14-6 loss to the Naturals Friday, going 1-for-3 with one RBI.
The versatile player said it felt good being in a familiar setting with teammates he has shared the field with in the past.
“It’s definitely a fun team, we all get along, we have fun,” Bechina said. “It’s comfortable, we play hard and it’s just good coming to the ballpark every day.”
He doesn’t know when the next transaction will take place, so his best plan is to take the season one game at a time.
>> Follow Chris Amaya on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya
