the lineup card: vol 5
Prior to his senior season at Blue Mountain High School in Pennsylvania, Billy Gerlott was on top of the world. His program was fresh off one of their best runs in school history. Gerlott already received an offer and was committed to stay home and play Big Ten baseball for Penn State, the school he grew up cheering for. Since three of his teammates graduated to play Division I baseball, Gerlott was ready to be the guy. He would finally have his chance to leave his own legacy in his hometown.
Until he couldn’t.
It was the spring of 2020, and baseball season was canceled in a blink of an eye due to COVID.
“I cried for like three days,” Gerlott said. Even though his playing future was secure, losing the opportunity to be a team captain hurt. “It was my team. I was really excited for the opportunity to lead and show the county what I could do.”
After an abrupt ending to his high school baseball career, Gerlott embarked on his next chapter at Penn State University, eager to make new memories on the collegiate field.
A rocky start at Penn State
Unlike any normal year, Gerlott and the rest of Penn State’s 2020 recruits did not get to participate in a summer session to get acclimated to their new surroundings. He hardly had any chances to get to know his new teammates, spending no more than a week on the field during his freshman fall.
Even Gerlott’s classes were not panning out as expected. For around five years, he was dead-set on becoming a sports journalist. Gerlott always enjoyed writing, but when a writing-intensive course would not let him report on his interests, he decided that path was not for him. Ultimately, he settled on Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management with minors in sports studies, communications and Spanish.
The Big Ten decided on a conference-only schedule during the spring of 2021 and Gerlott made the travel roster. However, he did not play at all. His confidence took a massive hit and his performance during intrasquad scrimmages reflected that.
“I was miserable,” Gerlott explained. He knew what kind of player he was in high school, but finding that identity as a college athlete was not easy. “Every single time I stepped in the box, I was facing legit arms. Obviously, you know how mental baseball is. As soon as you go into a little bit of a rut, you think you’re the worst baseball player in the world. It was just something that I couldn’t find myself getting out of.”
When the team was about to make a road trip for a series against Michigan State, the coaches told Gerlott to stay back, opting to bring another player instead. He immediately called his parents to come get him. Although it never crossed his mind to quit or transfer, Gerlott desperately needed a weekend at home to clear his head. While he was there, something clicked.
“You know what? I’m done being a baby. It’s time to grow up,” Gerlott recalled telling his family. “I don’t really care what the coaches say, I’m just gonna do my thing.”
When Gerlott returned, he started playing with an “I don’t care” attitude. Ignoring the pressure from himself, his teammates and coaches, Gerlott started hitting the ball well during intrasquad scrimmages. He also became increasingly confident in the outfield, where he was forced to transition on just his second day of practice after initially coming in as an infielder.
Knowing that he was unlikely to see the field so late in the season, Gerlott approached now former head coach Rob Cooper about skipping the last two weeks to get a head start on his summer ball season. That way, he could finally get some consistent playing time. Cooper agreed without hesitation and apologized for the poor communication between the two. He told him that he appreciated how Gerlott handled the situation and assured him that he would receive an extra year of eligibility.
College coaches arrange which teams their players spend their summers with. For Gerlott and two of his teammates, they were shipped off to play for a Prospect League team located in what appeared to be “Middle of Nowhere, Illinois.”
Welcome to Normal
Nestled in the heartland of the United States, Normal, Illinois, is the proud home of the Normal CornBelters, a summer baseball team that enjoys unwavering support from its dedicated local fanbase. This tranquil town serves as the backdrop for the team’s games, hosted at the Corn Crib stadium.
“I laughed every single day at the name,” Gerlott joked. Although the nickname was corny, the competition was very much legit. Every year, the Prospect League is filled with some of the most talented freshman and sophomore players in the country. “It was exciting to play against guys that were in very similar circumstances as me.”
One thing Gerlott was not prepared for was the living situation. Much like minor league baseball, collegiate summer teams place their players with host families.
“To go out to a place that you’re not familiar with, living with people that you don’t even know, telling them what you like and stuff so they can get you food…that was very nervewracking,” Gerlott explained. Luckily, Gerlott and his two Penn State teammates each got their own separate rooms on the top floor of a house on a golf course. They had a tee box in the backyard where they could hit golf balls whenever they wanted.
“We would go to the games, come home, cook dinner, and either play video games or sit down on the back patio and smoke a cigar. It was phenomenal,” Gerlott detailed. He still keeps in touch with the family, who have continued to host players since their first experience that summer. “Shoutout to Ben and Becky. They were so supportive of me. They did everything for me.”
Gerlott, who had not played in a real competitive game since his junior year of high school, got off to a slow start. Through the first half of the season, he led the league in strikeouts.
“Oh man, maybe I can’t play college baseball,” Gerlott thought. Despite his struggles, the coaches recognized that he needed at-bats and kept him in the lineup everyday. Meanwhile, Gerlott reached out to a close friend to help him break out of his slump – Travis Blankenhorn.
Blankenhorn, 26, is a second baseman in the Washington Nationals organization with 31 MLB plate appearances under his belt. Gerlott, 20, thinks of him as a big brother and they train together in the same hometown gym. The two talked over the phone countless times that summer, while Gerlott asked how to approach game-specific situations and what pitches to sit on at this level.
Learning how opposing pitchers would attack him with runners in scoring position or in different counts allowed Gerlott to feel one step ahead at the plate. Soon enough, he was almost impossible to get out. Gerlott recalls having a week-span where he did not get out in six consecutive games. He was recording multi-homer games left and right, celebrating with some “crazy” bat flips. This is not a typical part of his game but in summer ball, he allows himself to have a bit more fun.
Gerlott finished the summer with “video game” numbers, posting a .325/.438/.543 slash line with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 54 games. His confidence was back, and he was ready to apply what he learned as a CornBelter to his sophomore year as a Nittany Lion.
“Looking back, I found who I was out in Normal,” Gerlott said.
Back to State College
Returning to Penn State, Gerlott knew he had a legitimate shot at earning a starting job. Their previous starting right fielder, Curtis Robison, graduated and transferred to attend grad school at Gardner-Webb. About a week before the season began, Coach Cooper confirmed Gerlott’s belief.
Gerlott got the Opening Day start as a designated hitter against Monmouth. He still remembers every pitch from his first at-bat. That night, Coach Cooper informed Gerlott that he would be playing in center field the very next day due to thumb injury suffered by starter Johnny Piacentino. For the next four weeks, that is where he stayed.
In front of a sold-out crowd facing No. 5 ranked Virginia, Gerlott stood in center, taking in the vibrant college atmosphere. He glanced behind the backstop and upward at the packed grandstands. To his left and right, he found the stands equally filled with enthusiastic fans. In that moment, it finally hit him – Gerlott was living his dream as a college baseball player. Eventually, Piacentino returned and Gerlott slid over to right field, where he has remained ever since.
Gerlott almost went hitless for the entire month of April, but after a mental reset day out of the lineup, he responded by getting his numbers up to .237/.332/.416 with six home runs by the end of the year.
“When you show up to the ballpark and you don’t play like you’re forced to watch the game,” Gerlott explained, despite initially being unhappy with the decision. “You’re able to see how pitchers are pitching other guys and you know, it helps you in your development and your approach to the game. I definitely think it paid major dividends and kind of rejuvenated my season.”
Taking the next step
Coming off his first full collegiate season, Gerlott traveled alone to spend the summer playing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. His coaches sent him to the defending league champions, the Danbury Westerners.
The competition in the NECBL closely resembled what Gerlott saw all season at Penn State, allowing him to face high-end velocity and top-tier movement pitches. Much like his experience in Normal, adjusting to the lifestyle in Danbury took time. The drive to the stadium from his new host family’s place in Patterson, NY lasted 45 minutes on a good day due to traffic. Gerlott described their home field as a gritty place that reminded him of the Sandlot.
“The locals are crazy. They’ll stand out in right field behind the big wall, and they’ll just sit in their chairs speaking Spanish…they’re yelling at me, they’re yelling at the other team,” Gerlott laughed. At first, he thought the environment was nuts, but as the weeks went on, he started to love the vibe of the place. “I think I learned more Spanish lingo in Danbury than I did in Spanish class.”
Gerlott played in 37 games and even had a rare pitching appearance in a blowout loss. He recorded a 1-2-3 inning and enjoys bragging about his 0.00 ERA, even though he lobbed most pitches over the heart of the plate. The long bus rides are brutal, just as they are in the minor leagues, but the competition was great. Gerlott plans on returning to the Westerners this summer.
This past fall, Gerlott tore a muscle in his thumb while laying out for a diving catch in an intrasquad game. Although he was forced to sit for over four weeks, Gerlott saw it as a unique opportunity to step up as a leader.
“I was able to talk to the younger guys and really get to know them,” Gerlott said. “I wasn’t participating but I still wanted them to know that I was there for them.”
Gerlott was named a team captain for the first time since his senior year of high school. Returning as a full-time starter, Gerlott has had the opportunity to lead on and off the field. One way he sets the tone for his teammates is by putting his body on the line to make plays defensively.
In the ninth inning of a game on April 23, Penn State was clinging to a 7-2 lead while Ohio State threatened with the bases loaded and two outs. When a foul ball was hit down the right field line, Gerlott sprinted at full speed towards the wall. He soared into the air, flipping head over heels into the bullpen, while clutching the final out in his glove.
“I take a lot of pride in my defense,” Gerlott stated. “I have a really good relationship with the pitchers because they know if the ball is hit to me, I’m going to make a play on it. I have no problem running through a wall for my pitchers.”
Gerlott added that this catch was arguably the greatest one of his life to this point. The lifelong Penn State fan relished the opportunity to send his hated rival home with a series loss. To add even more bragging rights, the batter was one of his Westerners teammates, Hank Thomas.
While Gerlott’s power numbers have been down in 2023, his strikeout and walk rates have improved dramatically, catching the eye of a few MLB teams. So far, Gerlott has spoken with Padres, Mariners, Rangers and Twins among others. His advisor tells him that the process usually picks up closer to the draft but so far, teams have gotten to know “the authentic Billy Gerlott” in meetings. He is very family-oriented, loves to train, and shares the same hobbies as any ordinary college kid – playing video games and hanging out with friends.
There are no guarantees when it comes to the MLB Draft. Regardless of the outcome in July, the door is open for Gerlott to play two more seasons of college baseball, thanks to his extra year of eligibility. His ultimate dream is to play in the major leagues but he realizes the chances of being a day one pick are not high.
“To be able to be even considered by any of the 30 MLB teams, I think that’s really cool,” Gerlott said. “At the end of the day, if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, stay on the grind and just keep trying.”