Flewelling Enjoying Life As A Pro Baseball Player

Nathan Flewelling C / OF / St. Joseph, AB / 2024

RED DEER, A.B. - Life as a professional baseball player is all that Nathan Flewelling envisioned it would be.

“I’m in Florida doing instructions,” related the Tampa Bay third-round selection in the recent Major League Baseball draft. “I’ve been here for two weeks. Playing baseball every day, playing games and learning from great coaches … It’s everything I thought it would be and more with all the resources they have here. I’m really happy how it turned out.”

The St. Joseph High School 2024 graduate, who signed with the Rays for $774,000, right about the slot amount for the 94th pick in the draft, admits it was not a difficult choice when it came down to turning pro or going to college, where he was a Gonzaga commit.

“It wasn’t really a tough decision at the time,” Flewelling explained. “Being a third rounder, it was easy to say yes. Gonzaga was in full support of whatever I wanted to do. I said thanks for everything and good luck.”

After all, being a professional was a goal the top-ranked 2024 catcher in Alberta has had for some time.

“I’ve always wanted to play pro baseball,” Flewelling said. “It’s always been a dream. The offer was too good not to say yes.

“It was a cool feeling being with a bunch of friends and family when I was taken,” he added. “It was great to share the moment.”

Where the 6-2 200-pound left-handed hitting catcher was taken in the draft fit what was anticipated.

“I was talking with a bunch of teams and narrowed it down to a couple I thought I might go to,” Flewelling related. “Anywhere from the third to fifth round were the expectations.”

It wasn’t until the start of 2024 that the 17-year-old even had an inkling this might be in his immediate future.

“It was January of this year, when people started to have an interest in me, that I knew I could do this,” Flewelling explained. “I went to a couple of showcases and had a couple batting practice rounds that were good. My coach at home, Jason Chatwood, was the biggest help through all of this. My advisor, Blake Corosky, was big, too.”

A fan of the Toronto Blue Jays growing up, Flewelling signed his contract with Tampa Bay while at Tropicana Field.

“My mom and dad and sister were there with me,” Flewelling reflected.

Now the focus is on making improvements in an effort to make an impression on the organization.

“I’m just trying to develop and learn from the coaches as much as I can,” noted Flewelling, who will be in Florida until the end of September. “After that I’ll train at home with my high school team.”

As for plans in 2025, those will be known in the spring.

“I think it would be cool to get up there in the next three, four, five years,” the second-ranked 2024 in Alberta said about his hopes to make it to the Big Leagues with the Rays. “If I keep working hard every day and having fun, I’ll get there.”

That would not only be exciting for Flewelling, but for his biggest fans.

“I want to thank my family,” Flewelling concluded. “They’ve been my biggest supporters in all of this. They’re in the loop. We talk every few days.”