The story of Matt Shoemaker and the LA Angels is one of the most unusual in the history of baseball. For Shoemaker, it was an everlasting stretch of trials and tribulations as he fought his way into the MLB. And one thing is certain, it was never easy for Matt Shoemaker.
Let’s start at the beginning (seems to make enough sense). Shoemaker, after attending Eastern Michigan University and posting a 4.85 ERA in his three years there, went undrafted. Now, while undrafted players can often find roles in the NFL or NBA, it is very rare for undrafted players to work their way to prominence in the MLB.