Sometimes, people just want to get away – away from home, away from work, away from, well, you get the point.
But for Joe Castrichini, of Peabody, that wasn’t the case. The right-handed relief pitcher is spending his summer with the North Shore Navigators of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
Let’s see. If he drives north of Fraser Field, he’s in his hometown. A little further in that direction, he’s at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, where he suited up back in high school.
“It’s been nice. Home-cooked meals – those have been huge – and, overall, living at home has been great,” said Castrichini, who just graduated from Stonehill College in Easton, where he collected four saves and 30 strikeouts across 16 appearances this past spring.
He was an economics major with a 3.4 GPA, by the way.
After flying high with the Skyhawks, he traded his purple in for some orange this summer.
“I reached out to the Navs in the fall, but they didn’t want players from the portal,” Castrichini said. “But I talked with one of my coaches. They reached back out and (Navigators Baseball President, Derek) January was great in letting me play. I’m super grateful for the opportunity.”
Castrichini has picked up two saves and six punchouts across eight appearances thus far.
“It’s just a bunch of guys who have never met before competing at a high level,” he said. “It’s super special.”
Even the little things. Castrichini has enjoyed small talk, joking around, and getting to know his fellow Navs.
“If anyone is unsure about what they want to do, college players or anyone, I recommend summer league,” he said. “It’s the best. Everyone is super friendly and loves to be here.”
But the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder still remembers the old days. Born and raised in Peabody, he took pitching lessons with Pete Soteropoulos, his gym teacher at John E. McCarthy Elementary School.
“I was never considered a great player. I guess kids grow up differently with the sport,” Castrichini said.
Thousands of pitches later, he began a career with The Prep. It was at the high school powerhouse where he learned some perspective about the game.
“You find that there are people with the same goals and passions as you. It was awesome to play against – and with – others who pushed me,” Castrichini said. “Great place. A great group of guys who I’m thankful for.”
With a certain preschool graduation goal in mind, Castrichini looks forward to the future – no matter what it holds in store for him.
“My parents (Peter and Tracey) always joke about it, but at my preschool graduation, I said I wanted to be a pro baseball player,” he said. “I wouldn’t say there is a specific goal. Waking up in the morning, it’s all about getting better every day. My personal goal is to be the best I can be. I don’t know how far it will take me… I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
