REDS CALL UP MESORACO

August 31, 2011

Devin Mesoraco

LOUISVILLE — Punxsutawney Area High School graduate Devin Mesoraco received the call every Little League baseball player dreams of Wednesday afternoon: He’s been called up to the Major Leagues.

According to family sources, Mesoraco was in Louisville preparing for the Cincinnati Reds’ AAA-affiliate Bats’ game Wednesday when he received news that he wouldn’t be playing Wednesday night, and he’d be officially called up for Cincinnati’s 12:30 p.m. contest against the Philadelphia Phillies today in Cincinnati.

There was some speculation that Mesoraco might play in today’s game, after being given Wednesday night off, but those reports could not be confirmed.

Mesoraco was not on the team’s 40-man roster throughout the season, but the Reds are expected to make a roster move to make room for him when he is called up.

Mesoraco, 23, was named Cincinnati’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2010, after hitting .302 with 26 home runs between Cincinnati’s AA-affiliate Carolina Mudcats and the Bats, and after hitting .289 in 120 games for Louisville this season, with 36 doubles and 15 home runs, many in Cincinnati are looking forward to seeing what their future catcher is made of.

In a report by MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, Reds’ general manager Walt Jocketty, who declined to confirm Tuesday if Mesoraco would be among the Sept. 1 call-ups, said Wednesday after word leaked that Mesoraco would be called up, “Obviously, he’s a guy we’re going to protect. It’s a chance for him to get some exposure and get used to seeing what it’s like in the big leagues. We’ll see what he can learn this last month of the season.”

Cincinnati may have seen Mesoraco sooner had it not been for the depth its big league club had at catcher this season with veterans Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan already on the roster, but Mesoraco had a good attitude about it all along.

He said in an interview with The Spirit in July, “I couldn’t be any happier with the organization and the way things are going so far. I’ll get my time, and I’m just working hard to be ready for whenever my number is called.”

Mr. Mesoraco, that time is now.