ANAHEIM -- Throughout the highs and lows of being a first-round Draft pick, a top prospect, a young player who went through early struggles and now a key part of the Angels, one thing hasn’t changed with Jo Adell.
Adell has always remained humble and true to his roots and credits his mother, Nicole, for instilling those values in him. His mom is a longtime educator with a doctorate in innovative learning, and she passed on countless lessons to him.
“Stay true to who you are,” Adell said. “You're going to have some lows. We come here every day and this is a tough game to play, but you always want to be close to the same person you can be every day. If you're consistent as a person, you can get through anything and being that way with everyone, especially in a clubhouse like this, that stuff's important. People are going to remember who you are and not only what you did but who you were as a person.”
So while Adell’s profile has grown after hitting 37 homers last year and making history by memorably robbing three homers in a game against the Mariners on April 4, he hasn’t allowed it to change him. He’s beloved by his coaches and teammates -- he was the winner of last year’s Angels MVP award as voted on by his teammates -- because of the way he carries himself and interacts with others.
He said he learned a lot about being selfless from his mom because she gave so much back to the local community in his native Louisville, Kentucky, in her role as an educator, including being a middle school principal for many years.
“I always say it, but my mom was kind of like a mom to everybody,” Adell said. “Growing up, we were always at the school that she taught at for years and now she has her doctorate in education. But just who she was and how she always put others before her is what drives me now to kind of be a better person. Just all the sacrifices for me to be here today and do what I do, it's just pretty amazing. But like I said, she's kind of a mom to all, so it’s just really cool.”
Adell, who attended Ballard High School in Louisville, said his mom also always emphasized the importance of taking his schooling seriously. His dad, Scott, played college football at North Carolina State before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints but also didn’t take his education he received for granted.
That’s why Adell said it was a tough decision when he was selected by the Angels with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 Draft, as he was committed to play baseball at the University of Louisville, but was ultimately wooed by the $48 million signing bonus. But desire to learn remains, as evidenced by his recent visits to the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City last month.
“It was huge,” Adell said. “We took it seriously. We didn’t play around when it came to grades and getting stuff done and doing what we needed to do. When I was coming through middle school and high school, she was a principal. Even when I was drafted, it was a kind of a hard decision because you know, my mom and dad both had a college education. My mom's been in education so that was the thing that we made most important.”
Adell’s mom now works for Digital Promise as their associate director of school impact as part of Verizon’s innovative learning schools. Adell said it keeps her plenty busy but she’s still able to follow his career and watch his games from afar.
She also made it to the club’s first home series of the season against the Mariners that included his epic home run robberies and tries to find time to see him play on the road during the season.
“She was here for the opening series here at home, which was awesome,” Adell said. “She got to come and visit. And she catches me on the road too from time to time, so it’s great.”