Red Sox Fans Are Going To Love Blaze Jordan And His Big Bat
BOSTON (CBS) -- It shouldn't take long for Blaze Jordan to become a fan favorite among Red Sox fans, whether it's because of his unique name or ability to hit some towering homers.
Chances are it's going to be the homers, since the 17-year-old Mississippi native launches some absolute bombs. A third-round pick by Boston in this year's MLB Draft, Jordan has already envisioned sending a few over the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
"I have never been to Fenway before so I'm looking forward to being able to see it some day. I definitely have been dreaming of it and thinking about [sending one over the wall] a whole lot," Jordan told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche. "I was definitely dreaming about it and hopefully I can make it happen some day."
Jordan has been swinging a big bat for as long as he can remember. Just watch this 500-foot bomb he sent into the night sky when he was just 13 years old. That was the same year he realized he was pretty good at swinging the lumber.
"I've always hit the ball farther than other kids, but when I was 13 I was playing with my brother's 17-year-old team using a wooden bat, and I went up to Jupiter that year and played in the 17-year-old tournament (the WWBA World Championship) -- probably the biggest tournament of the year -- and did pretty well," he said. "I hit a few balls to the wall. After that, everything sort of kicked off from there. My body wasn't in the best shape back then so I've become more athletic since then, but I realized I could always hit the upper-level pitching back then."
That was also the year he committed to Mississippi State. Not many commit to college in the eighth grade, but not many have the raw power that Jordan possessed at that age, either. Jordan, of course, has since signed on with the Red Sox, so he won't be enjoying any time as a college player.
Like high school players around the country, Jordan's senior season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. He certainly missed playing competitive baseball, but that doesn't mean he's just sat back and relaxed. He's continued to work on his craft, and though he missed out on game action, hopes his hard work pays off at whichever level he takes his cuts at next.
"It was actually pretty stressful, because I'm usually playing baseball during the three months we were quarantined. It was hard not being with my teammates to keep my mind off it. While I was home it was on my mind the whole time," he admitted. "But I've been working really hard to be the best player I can during quarantine, and this is probably the strongest I've ever felt. I feel like I got my body right and my swing is feeling really good, so the quarantine may have helped in the the long run because I worked on things I needed to work on."
The ability to hit moon shots at such a young age has garnered some comparisons to some illustrious home run hitters in the pros, namely Bryce Harper, who broke into the majors at just 19. That sets the expectations pretty high for Jordan, but he won't let those or such comparisons get to his head.
"I wouldn't say it bothers me; it's kind of an honor for people to even consider me to be close to him. But I don't let it get to my head or anything," he said. "I continue to be my own person and own player. Hopefully someday I can end up where he is at, playing in the big leagues every day. My ultimate goal isn't to be as good as him but better. It's really cool and makes me strive to keep working hard."
