MIAMI -- When Peter Troy moved from Philadelphia to Miami in September, he did so with the intention of attending flight school and not going viral because of a side gig.
Ten months later, Troy is vying for a chance to be part of the MLB All-Star Ball Crew, a new initiative that will highlight MLB ballboys and girls and the viral moments they create during the season.
Hoping to make some money when he wasn’t at Endeavour Flight Training in nearby Opa-Locka, Troy took a job working on the Marlins’ grounds crew. In field operations, his responsibilities include handling the bullpens, mound and baselines. He and the others sometimes remain at loanDepot park until 12 a.m. to ensure the field is ready for the next day.
But when the Marlins hosted the Angels on April 2 during the sixth game of the season, assistant director of grounds Gregory Jones asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to be ballboy.
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Troy expressed his interest. Not only did he have his glove with him, but he often could be found in the back room having a catch.
“I was psyched,” said Troy, who played two years at catcher for the varsity baseball team at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. “I was so excited. When I was in Philadelphia, I was always trying to figure out how to get in that kind of position, do stuff on the field and be part of an organization, and just have the opportunity to be a ballboy.”
Never in Troy’s wildest dreams could he imagine what would happen next.
In a sixth-inning showdown between Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon and Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo, Rendon ambushed Luzardo’s first-pitch 95.2 mph four-seamer and rocketed it down the right-field line.
“I saw the ball coming at me and my first instinct was to run, but I saw the line drive and I just thought, ‘Survival first,’” Troy said.
Troy fully extended his arm over his head to make a leaping grab before tossing the ball to a lucky fan in the stands. Rendon smiled in acknowledgement, while TV broadcaster Rod Allen proclaimed, “Sign him up!” Troy’s phone soon flooded with texts and calls from family and friends. The play circulated all over the Internet.
“Caught it, blacked out,” Troy said. “Everyone's cheering for the Marlins usually, because that's how it goes. But [I] do my job, catch the ball, threw it away and sat down and realized [the cheers were for me].
"My friends were like, ‘Hey, you're getting a bunch of attention, like you're on the big screen, everything.’ I was like, ‘Just doing what I was told to do.’
"Because, again, I'm a grounds-crew guy. I wasn't employed here to be a ballboy. I was actually making the lines minutes ago for the field.”
Troy’s web gem could land him an All-Star selection with your help.
From Sunday through Tuesday, fans can vote on the top four moments or plays made by ballboys and girls in the first half of the MLB season, with the top two vote-getters being declared the winners live on MLB Network on Wednesday. The two winners will then participate in the All-Star Game, serving as All-Star ballboys/girls during the game itself. In addition to taking part in the Midsummer Classic, the two winners will also get to experience events like the Capital One All-Star Village, the MLB Draft, the Frutitas ASG Red Carpet Show and All-Star Media Day.
Voting will occur on MLB.com as a traditional ballot but also incorporate polls on X, Instagram and Reddit.