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Former Seymour High ace Jake Wakinshaw has pitched well out of bullpen for Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.<\/p>\n
Tim Davis\/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp<\/p>\n
WORCESTER \u2014 The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp<\/a> were a little out of their environment this past week, more than 1,000 miles north of home, playing a series with the Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park.<\/p>\n Jake Walkinshaw<\/a>, however, felt right at home. The right-handed reliever and Seymour native starred at Seymour High before pitching for five seasons at Southern New Hampshire University.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n With Polar Park situated centrally between Seymour and the SNHU campus, Walkinshaw\u00a0had plenty of family, friends and former teammates (college and high school) taking in games during the week<\/p>\n “I had this one circled on the calendar,” he noted.<\/p>\n Of course, Walkinshaw’s calendar has been pretty filled recently. On July 7, he turned 30. About a week later, over the minor league all-star break, he asked his girlfriend of three years, Michelle, to marry him while on a day trip to Mystic.<\/p>\n Make CT Insider a preferred source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n And so, Walkinshaw’s inning of scoreless relief on Wednesday (one walk, one strikeout) seemed a bit inconsequential compared to other recent life events. But every pitch he throws, every batter he whiffs, every inning he logs for the Miami Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate is crucial to reaching his ultimate dream. Because even more tantalizingly close to Walkinshaw this week was Fenway Park, just an hour down the Mass Turnpike from Polar Park.<\/p>\n Or, for that matter, Citi Field, home of the Mets, where the Marlins will be for a four-game series beginning next Thursday.<\/p>\n PEORIA, AZ – MARCH 14: Jake Walkinshaw #16 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex on Friday, March 14, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Marison Bilagody\/MLB Photos via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Marison Bilagody\/MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n It’s all enough within reach for Walkinshaw, after seven minor-league seasons, a global pandemic and a pair of Tommy John surgeries<\/a>, to keep striving for his dream.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n “Somebody told me pretty early on, if you still have a jersey on your back, you still have a chance,” he told CT Insider. “That\u2019s kind of what I\u2019m living by. If you told me when I was 18 years old that I\u2019d be playing any kind of baseball at 30, I\u2019d say, ‘Sign me up.’ The fact that I\u2019m one step away from the majors, it\u2019s really cool. I try not to take it for granted.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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