Minnesota Twins reliever Ryan O’Rourke grew up in Worcester, Mass., and pitched at St. John’s, a state athletic powerhouse brimming with so many recruits that he only threw 18 innings as a junior and senior. He canvassed the whole gamut of opportunities for exposure, emailing 10 college baseball coaches, traveling to showcases and competing in the biggest local tournament, the Bay State Games. O’Rourke, however, garnered little interest from colleges — “I got ignored more than I got a ‘no,’” he said — and also went undrafted by big league clubs out of high school.
“I wasn’t a showcase player,” O’Rouke said.