It’s been a dramatic, slingshot ride for Tyler Ladendorf.
You may remember Ladendorf’s meteoric rise, when, as a sophomore at Maine West High School, the Class of 2006 grad shattered just about every school record while showcasing the athleticism and skill to be earmarked as a high-level pro prospect.
Then came the serious shoulder injury, one that sidelined him for his critical junior season and, ultimately, casted serious doubts about his future. His arm would never be the same, they said, certainly not strong enough to play shortstop in pro ball.
Ladendorf had his senior season to prove people wrong – and that he did. The powerfully built 6-foot, 185-pound Ladendorf batted .495 with 49 runs, 36 RBI, seven doubles, eight triples, four homers, 24 stolen bases, slugged .848, struck out only four times and, about that throwing arm, he committed only five errors in 104 chances.
Aside from saving a baby from a burning building while juggling pin-pulled grenades, there was nothing more Ladendorf could’ve done to prove his injury was a thing of the past. Yet doubts lingered, which was why he slipped to the 34th round of the 2006 MLB Draft, pick No. 1034 by the New York Yankees. The Yankees knew they got a good player – a player who didn’t hide the fact he wanted to sign – and made him a good offer above slot money.
Take the money and go, Tyler. Fulfill your dream, right? But Ladendorf knew. He knew he would prove he was better than a 34th-round pick, that his shoulder was completely healed, that in another year he would be worth a lot more. A gutsy gamble, but a gamble Ladendorf was willing to take.
So off he went to Howard Junior College in Texas, a powerhouse in the JUCO ranks but, if you Google its website, you’ll find rodeo highlights at the top of the athletics page. Not exactly the easiest place for a kid from Des Plaines to acclimate himself.
In his freshman year at Howard, Ladendorf stole a national-high 65-of-65 bases. Seriously. After the season he verbally committed to national power University of Oklahoma. There was more buzz about Ladendorf than a choir of cicadas on a grade-school P.A. system.
Ladendorf’s phone rang several times on draft day, but rejected all the higher-round offers. However enticing the money was – and from reliable sources the money was good – Ladendorf knew he was worth more. The San Francisco Giants finally drafted him in the 34th round again, but it was a wasted pick. Ladendorf was off to prove himself again.
Now it’s the 2008 season, in his final year at Howard JC. Pressure is on, or else he’s off to a four-year school – an incredible fallback, yes, but a fallback that would nonetheless delay his ultimate dream. So what’s he do? Ladendorf opens the season on a home run binge, and as of April 5, he was leading NJCAA hitters with a .550 batting average. After hitting one homer as a freshman, he has 10, to go along with 18 doubles, three triples, 54 RBI and 62 runs.
That cicada-like buzz, well, it’s now as harmonious as “We Are the World.” Ladendorf is considered one of the top five JUCO prospects in the country. He’s said to be no lower than a third-round pick, likely a sandwich-round or second rounder come June’s MLB draft.
It doesn’t always work out like that. But Ladendorf believed in his abilities. And proved it. Again and again.