From Athletes to Alumni: O’s Minor Leaguers Finishing Their Degrees

When the Minor League Baseball season was officially canceled on June 30, players were left seriously thinking about their next move.

With no games in the middle of summer for the first time since before they began playing baseball as kids, prospects across the league had to decide how to use this newfound free time to keep improving.

For five Orioles prospects, that decision was to work toward finishing their college degrees.

Two of these prospects, pitcher Shelton Perkins and outfielder Johnny Rizer, both earned their bachelor’s degrees after completing coursework online this summer.

Perkins, who earned his bachelor’s degree in sport and recreation management from James Madison University, credits his parents for influencing his decision.

“The decision ultimately came down to the promise I made to my parents back before I entered my freshman year,” Perkins said. “They told me then that anything can happen with baseball but getting that degree is something nobody can take away from you. So I promised no matter what happens, I will be getting that degree.”

Perkins was selected by Baltimore in the 16th round of the 2019 Draft from JMU and spent all of the 2019 season with Class A short season Aberdeen, where he posted a 1-1 record with a 2.04 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 15 relief appearances.

Rizer, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in business from Texas Christian University, said his parents were also a major influence in his decision to finish his education.

Like Perkins, he also recognizes that having a degree will prepare him well for whenever the time comes to hang up his cleats.

“My parents were also a big influence, because they value education and kept pushing me to take the classes,” Rizer said. “I also knew how important and valuable it would be to have a degree for after baseball, because you never know when your baseball career will come to an end.”

Rizer was selected by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 2019 Draft from TCU and also had an impressive debut season, batting .308 with four home runs and 42 RBI in 63 games between Aberdeen and Class A Delmarva.

In an interview on MASN All Access, Perkins and Rizer were asked what career they would choose instead of baseball if they had to pursue one.

Perkins said he would use his degree to open his own athletic training facility in his hometown of Leland, N.C., so that kids could have a place to improve their skills.

“I would love to have my own facility,” Perkins said. “Just to kind of give back to my community who’s given me so much, to give them a place where their kids can go and get better.”

Perkins told Birdland Insider that he has another dream that he hopes his degree in communications can help him achieve one day after baseball.

“Sports reporting is something I have always enjoyed and something that everyone has told me they could see me doing one day,” Perkins said. “That dream isn’t over yet either, but baseball is first and then we can see what comes of that.”

Rizer said he didn’t have a plan for a career after baseball until his senior year, when he took a financial planning class. He now hopes to have a rewarding career in financial advising when his baseball days are over.

“I was not too sure what I wanted to do if I wasn’t playing baseball up until my senior year,” Rizer said. “I took a financial planning class and I found an interest in finance. I would like to be a financial advisor after baseball comes to an end because I like working with people and helping them achieve their goals financially for their future.”

While Perkins and Rizer were taking classes, the Orioles offered a variety of other education and enrichment programs for players throughout the organization including health and wellness, yoga and book clubs. Keeping the young prospects engaged in their goals, on and off the field, was a priority for Orioles director of player development Matt Blood.

“Completing your college degree is a great accomplishment, and it’s something that we encourage and celebrate. We are proud of these guys,” Blood said.

Three other Orioles Minor Leaguers who also decided to continue their education during this unusual year were teammates together at Stanford University.

Catcher Maverick Handley, outfielder Kyle Stowers and first baseman Andrew Daschbach were each selected by the Orioles from Stanford in the 2019 Draft and all played for the Aberdeen IronBirds last season. The three teammates are now currently working toward a common goal of becoming Stanford graduates.

Handley, who is majoring in Bioengineering Pre-Med at Stanford, is taking online courses this fall to finish up his final quarter of classes and earn his diploma, a goal which he had going into college.

“When I chose Stanford, I made the decision with the intent to earn my four-year degree,” Handley said. “Stanford recruits players that want an education and have a desire of playing professionally. Most players by their junior draft years have completed 3.33 years of credit years, leaving two fall quarters to earn your diploma. This will be my second fall quarter after being drafted.”

Handley, who spent all of last season with Aberdeen and caught an impressive 63 percent (19-of-30) of base stealers from behind the plate, cherishes the relationships he’s built with his college teammates and now fellow Orioles prospects.

“Daschbach and I lived together sophomore year of college, and then Stowers and I lived together in the Cape Cod League over that summer,” Handley said. “They are guys I’ve always had a good relationship with, and being drafted by the Orioles has almost forced us to get even closer.”

Stowers, who recently earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from Stanford, said they all pushed each other to take advantage of this time away from baseball to finish their educational goals.

“We all did encourage each other to take advantage of this opportunity if possible,” Stowers said. “The pandemic forced Stanford classes to be taught online, and the cancellation of the season provided a silver lining to finish my degree. It was something I wanted to check off the box, and felt now was the best time for me to do so.”

While the cancellation of Minor League Baseball this year provided an opportunity to complete his education, Stowers said the feeling of graduating can’t replace the feeling of putting on his uniform and taking the field with his teammates.

“It feels great to be graduated,” Stowers said. “But I would’ve traded these last two quarters that led to me finishing if it meant us being back on the field playing the game we love and chasing our dream.”

While they once wore the Stanford Cardinal uniform as teammates, the trio now hopes to one day don the orange and black together in Baltimore. Handley added that no matter how far they get in their baseball careers, though, the three friends will always cherish the time they have spent playing together.

“They are and will always be my Stanford teammates, and the opportunity to play pro ball and experience what that all has to offer is a blessing,” Handley said.

Although they didn’t have the opportunity to showcase their skills on the field in 2020, these Orioles prospects have found new success off the field by becoming college graduates, an accomplishment that will help them on and off the field for many years to come.