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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/11/2021

FTB/Phillies Scout Enjoying Moments Together

Matthew Welsh     
Photo: Andrew Dutkanych IV (Perfect Game)
MARIETTA, Ga. -- On paper, the FTB/Philadelphia Phillies Scout Team had arguably the most talented roster of the 408 teams at this year’s 17u WWBA Championship. And yet in a 7-0 win on Saturday night, their championship pursuit came to an end. 
 
Despite a 5-1 record through six games, and +32-run differential, the Phillies finished second in their eight-team pool and did not advance in their final Perfect Game Event of the season. But for the team, even without a win, they think they have left their mark on the country.
 
“This team is something special, and obviously we fell a little bit short in our WWBA run, but this team is just different,” said outfielder Maxwell Clark. “Every single kid steps out on the field with a state-of-mind to just win, and you just can’t beat that.”
 
The Phillies have 13 of the top 100 players in the country on their roster, including the top-three overall nationally ranked players in outfielders Elijah Green, Clark, and Andruw Jones, in that order, and a number of top pitchers, including Andrew Dutkanych IV. Only five players on the team have yet to make a decision on their future commitment, a trend that is sure to change as the team’s season draws to a close.
 
Clark and his teammates relayed they were fueled by the chance to come out each day and play alongside the best in the country, something that is, although sometimes unique in the travel ball environment, will be the norm at the collegiate level and beyond.
 
“I’m just one part of this team, and you come out here and we have 30 dudes rostered that are going to be 30 draft prospects, whether that’s 2022 or 2023. So, you just get to come out here and compete with the best of the best,” Clark said. “I’ve never been in a dugout with 10, 15 guys that are looking into the draft out of high school, so that’s just something special, and I want to see everyone succeed, including myself.”
 
That kind of talent has cultivated a unique family within the squad and its coaches, and even for players who are newer to the team, the atmosphere has been all they needed to compete at the highest level possible. 
 
Sure, every great team likes to boast a strong sense of brotherhood, but for the Phillies, that bond hangs in the air wherever they play and separates an already exceptional team from the rest of the competition.
 
“I started with this team last year, so I’m kind of new to the team, but ever since I’ve started, I’ve never felt a family like this when playing baseball, both on and off the field,” said infielder Blake Cyr. “Off the field, it’s unreal, we all stick together, we’re all boys, and then when we come on the field we have a different bond that nobody can break really.”
 
And as the focus for the team shifts from travel ball to the upper reaches of our country’s most competitive baseball, that bond, they say, will remain just as important. Whether it be in college or professionally, every player on this team will likely have the opportunity to face off against their once-teammates turned-rivals. 
 
“I just want to see everyone succeed at the highest level that they can,” Clark said. “Obviously, almost everyone is committed to a high-level D-I school, and if they aren’t, a lot of these kids are looking into entering the draft out of high school.”
 
And as for their final moments together as a team, the Phillies were calm, collected, professional, and at times even playful. Whether it be players unexpectedly tripping after rounding first base or pitcher-only’s getting their first at-bat of the summer, it was clear that the team enjoyed their final time between the lines and played with a light-hearted attitude. 
 
“Honestly, I think tonight’s game was one of the most fun games we’ve ever had,” Cyr said. “We really understood that it was our last summer ball game ever, so we just wanted to really open up and be a family, so tonight we had some fun stuff going on. We were having a great time, and I can’t believe it’s over.”
 
Not over, but just on pause. Give it a few weeks, months, even years, and the majority of these players will grace television screens at the highest levels across the nation. And still then, they will have the chance to look back on their time on the Phillies Scout Team as some of the most fun they had playing the game.  
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