Miz enjoys chance to 'be a little superhero' for Little Leaguers in Williamsport

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – When you stand 6-foot-7, you’re easy to spot.

Especially when you’re surrounded by a sea of Little Leaguers.

Ace right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was the Brewers’ biggest attraction – literally and figuratively – when the team touched down in Williamsport on Sunday for the annual Little League Classic against the Braves. From the tarmac to the bus to the Little League World Series Complex to historic Bowman Field, Milwaukee’s big man was mobbed by pint-sized fans in a way that surprised even the Major League Baseball employees who are veterans of these events.

“Sometimes I ask him, ‘Do you even fathom who you are and what you mean to people?’” said Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell.

Misiorowski just shrugs it off, Mitchell said. But that’s getting more difficult.

“He’s getting up there,” said Christian Yelich, the Brewers’ most famous player before Misiorowski came along and challenged that status. “You walk down the street, people know you. It takes getting used to. It’s all new for Miz, because a lot has happened this year and it’s happened fast. You have to adjust, but Miz is a big kid himself, so he’ll be just fine.”

“It’s actually really cool, because he’s the guy right now,” said second baseman Brice Turang. “He’s one of the most electric arms in the game, and the kids know that and they watch him and they root for him. That’s really cool to see. … He’s deserved all of it. You know, he’s on his way to be a superstar, if not already.”

But his teammates say Misiorowski has remained grounded, perhaps because out of all the Brewers players, he may be the biggest kid. He spent Sunday’s Little League World Series visit playing ping-pong and ripping Pokemon cards with players who want to grow up to be just like him.

Or like outfielder Jackson Chourio, who played video games with Little Leaguers in their on-site dorm. Or like closer Trevor Megill, who slapped down his credit card at the concession stand and bought a round of Gatorades for dozens of kids. Or Turang, who went straight for the retail store to buy a Little League World Series hat.

Or like the Brewers’ home run leader, Jake Bauers, a former Little Leaguer who dreamed of earning a trip to Williamsport. After the Brewers were unleashed into Lamade Stadium for Sunday’s game between Curaçao and Asia-Pacific, Bauers made a beeline for the West Region champions from San Diego, who were watching from the stands.

They had free rein of the Complex for as long as they liked. Everywhere the Brewers went, they were mobbed by autograph seekers.

“I feel like Justin Bieber,” Megill said after his concessions splurge. “I imagine this is what Misiorowski feels like.”

Welcome to Misiorowski’s season. He’s MLB’s leader in strikeouts (216), ERA (1.68), WHIP (0.76) and opponents’ average (.152). Even fellow NL Cy Young Award candidate and future Hall of Famer Chris Sale of the Braves said after a matchup with Miz in Milwaukee on Friday, "It seems like he's kind of in a league of his own this year.”

It will continue for a couple more days on this trip. Misiorowski is lined up to start Thursday against the Mets in New York City, the media capital of the world. He still isn’t used to all of the attention. He said his family, especially his fiancée Elle, keeps him grounded.

Even on days as chaotic as Sunday.

“It was definitely overwhelming, but it was fun to be a little superhero for those guys,” Misiorowski said. “It’s still weird going around Milwaukee and people recognize me there. It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been busy and everything has been crazy about it.

“That’s every city we go to. Not just here, but everywhere."

For Misiorowski, Yelich, Chourio, Turang, Mitchell and William Contreras, the visit to Williamsport began with a bus ride from the airport to the Little League World Series Complex with the Great Lakes region champs from Ohio. A young pitcher named Hudson Vonderheide scored the seat on the bus next to Miz.

“I was wondering how he hits that fast [on the radar gun],” Hudson said. “I throw as hard as I can, and I just hit 54. He throws as hard as he can, and it’s 105.”

What’s Misiorowski’s best advice to find that extra 51 mph?

“Just enjoy it,” Misiorowski said. “Enjoy every moment. And just keep going.”

If fame starts to change him, Misiorowski has plenty of people around him to let him know.

For now, they say he hasn’t changed a bit.

“At the core, Miz is a tremendous person,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He has an understanding of people, and it’s very, very genuine. That’s what I love about the kid. So anything you tell me about how he treats people, it makes me smile.”

“He’s a great teammate to his guys, he’s a great person to other people, and I think he does a good job of making himself very personable to the fans,” Mitchell said. “He’s doing it all in the right way.”