When Nate Jones pitched an inning in Wednesday’s scrimmage, it was the first time the Pendleton County grad and Northern Kentucky alum threw off the mound at Great American Ball Park.
He went to a handful of Reds games as a kid when his school district gave tickets to students with perfect attendance. His high school coach took all the seniors to a game once.
“It was pretty cool,” Jones said. “Growing up and coming to the ballpark a handful of times and just sitting in the stands, just wanting to play baseball, and then standing on the mound where I was sitting in the stands not too far away and actually pitching to Joey Votto.