Pittsburgh Pirates: A Day in the Life of a Minor Leaguer Aaron Shackelford

In the 22nd installment of “A Day in the Life of a Minor Leaguer” I spoke with Aaron Shackelford. Incredible man of faith and a lover of baseball!

As this series starts to wind down, I have made several realizations. The main thing I have been able to take away from the three-plus weeks is these players are human just like us. Now I know you’re thinking, “Cody, you didn’t think these guys were human?” Yes, I knew they were human, but it’s amazing to see they have the same fears, wants, needs, and the goal to succeed like all of us.

My next installment of “A Day in the Life of a Minor Leaguer,” I sat down with an incredible man of faith and one hell of a ballplayer, Aaron Shackelford. Although Aaron has played only one year in pro ball, he’s made a pretty good impression on me and the Pittsburgh Pirates as a whole.

Outside of all the noise on the field, I wanted to know who Aaron Shackelford is when the lights are off and that he can be himself at home.

“First and foremost, I am a servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus. That is how I want to be identified more than anything. As a follower of Christ, I love him and his teachings more than anything. I’d then describe myself as a husband to my wife Brooke, who’s been the greatest earthly blessing I’ve ever had. I’m just an easy going guy who loves to go on adventures with my wife.”

Several memories make a person who they are. I love not just to tell stories but hear them as well. What better than hearing a baseball memory and being able to share it. I asked Aaron what memories can he pull from his noggin that made him smile.

“My sophomore year in college, we made the World Series. That was such a huge thing for me. It was so much fun and the most fun I’d had to that point playing baseball. Then last year I hit 36 homers in college and was player of the year which was wild. From a team perspective, though, I’d have to say my sophomore year. We started with a losing record and then went 27-2 to finish the year that was such an awesome year.”

Baseball for some guys never seems to end. You have guys like Bartolo Colon, who is in his 1,000th season, but eventually, you have to think about future pursuits. Father time is undefeated, so I wanted to know what Aaron’s goal was after baseball ends for him.

“At this point, I’m taking it one day at a time. For me, baseball isn’t the most important thing in my life, which makes it more freeing to play it. I want to be involved in people’s lives someway I don’t want a desk job. Whether it’s coaching or something like that, I want to be involved in young people’s lives. For me, that’s the ultimate goal.”

One question I was interested in asking sounds a bit strange, but I promise there is substance to it. I wanted to know if he wrote an autobiography after his career was over what would be the one thing he’d want people to take away from his name.

“I wouldn’t want people to remember me. I’d want people to remember how great God is and that he worked in my life. I don’t want a legacy for myself; I want him to get all the glory. So if I were to write a book, I’d want it to be about me serving the Lord.”

As a fellow man of Christ, I commend Mr. Shackelford for his courage to speak about his faith in an open setting with pride. Faith is such a “taboo” subject in today’s day, and as I said, it’s incredible to hear his faith and the confidence he carries with it.

You’re probably wondering where does his drive and who were his influences to play such a grinding sport. Well, I got you covered, that is the next question I asked Mr. Shackelford.

“Well, my dad played baseball. He played in college and then my oldest brother played at the college I went to as well. Actually, my dad and my brother played at Masters University, where I played obviously. I would say though that there wasn’t a major outside influence. I fell in love with the game the first time I played. I don’t play for any other reason than that I absolutely love the game.”

Don’t fret people I also asked if any coaches in his life played an enormous role both on and off the field. (Geeze, you guys, are so impatient.)

“My college coach was awesome! He taught me so much from a baseball standpoint as well as faithfulness to the Lord and glorify God when I play. I would always say that but not really know how to live that out. All of my coaches in college, I’d say, had a big impact on my life. Winning is awesome; you always want to win, but he understood what was most important.”

My favorite player growing up was Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson. I can remember fielding ground balls trying to do his backhand flip he did so well. I wanted to know if Aaron had that kind of player he’d idolized like me.

“I loved David Eckstein. I was always super small when I was young, and it took me a while to grow out. He was also a grinder, and I loved watching him play. I was number 22 because of him. He was next level grinder, and I always appreciated that aspect of the game.”

Aaron had mentioned that he attended Masters University. Now I’m going, to be honest, I’ve never heard of that place, and I consider myself smarter than your average bear when it comes to college ball. Naturally, I wanted to know what the University was like and what the overall experience offered him.

“My teammates were awesome; they changed my life. My freshman and sophomore year, I played with guys who were 24 like super seniors. I learned so much from them. Throughout my four years there, the guys there were incredible. I got to play with my best friend; he played center while I played shortstop for four years. Being at a small school was great because you get to know people on more of a personal level.”

Aaron is another example of a mid to late round draft pick who has been overlooked or doubted their whole life. Mr. Shackelford, in fact, was drafted in the 14th round last year by our Pittsburgh Pirates. I wanted to know if being doubted his whole life and having that 14th round tag on him made him have a chip on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I think I’ve always been doubted in a sense. I had one offer out of high school. I didn’t have options really, so I think my work ethic comes from that. To think I live in a constant bitterness isn’t a reality. Honestly, I don’t really think about it. I’m going to work hard and get as far as I can, no matter if I was in the late rounds or whatever it doesn’t matter as long as I get drafted.”

We turned the discussion to his first year in pro ball in Bristol. A young player can learn a plethora of things in his first year, but there is always one thing they take away that sticks with them forever. Aaron’s biggest thing was not putting too much stress on one game or series.

“You only play on the weekends in college, so I would put too much stress on one bad game. In pro ball, you just get another opportunity the next night. I guess you could say I learned the ability to handle failure at a higher rate.”

The Bristol Pirates have seen several good coaches come through the doors of the clubhouse. In my opinion, no skipper is better for these young men in Bristol than Kieran Mattison. Mattison was Mt. Shackelford’s skipper last year, so I wanted to know what he was like to be under his guidance.

“Kieran is awesome. He is much different from my college coach. Kieran is more of a hard-nosed no-nonsense type of guy. He let us play and was great at putting confidence in my teammates and me. He says it like it is and tells you what you need to hear, not necessarily what you want to hear. I learned so much from him, and he cares so much about his players, which is not what I heard from other guys in different organizations in their first year in pro ball.”

With this extended break, I think there is no time like the present to improve on things you want to improve on. We have seen in this series that all these guys find ways to work on something, and it’s no different when it comes to Mr. Shackelford.

“Yeah, for me, the biggest thing with hitting is pace. Sometimes I get rushed, so I’m trying to slow it down a ton. I’m trying to camp on my backside and be more controlled in my load. Defensively I’m working on my first step and be quicker towards the ball. I think pro ball taught me a lot about my inadequacies on the defensive side of the ball. In college, it was mostly about hitting for me. Before practice, I’d hit for two hours and not practice that much on defense. I’ve been doing basic drills like taking a lot of ground balls at third because I’ve never taken them there before, really.”

One of the most amazing things he told me he’s doing other than baseball is what him and his wife are doing with their free time. They bought a sprinter van and are gutting it out to live in. Now if that isn’t the coolest thing you’ve ever heard, then there is something wrong with you!

The sights that have Aaron Shackelford’s stats and position have him listed in several different spots on defense. Baseball-Reference had him listed as a second baseman, third baseman, and a right fielder. I wanted to know where he felt most comfortable. He told me since he played shortstop in college, he feels most comfortable in the middle infield.

Now is the time for the most important question of the day, and that is my epic journey to find the best food spots in the U.S. Before you say it NO, I’m not Guy Fieri! Even though his shirts are pretty epic. Aaron’s best spot in San Diego is “Cessy’s in Carlsbad” legend says they have an amazing California Burrito that comes with guacamole, sour cream, carne asada, and FRIES in the burrito! Pittsburgh knows all too well with fries in their food.

All in all, the experience with Aaron was incredible! The way he carries himself and the openness with his faith is nothing short of remarkable. When and if there is a season this year, I’ll be watching with attentive eyes towards his game and life as he progresses on his journey toward making the Pittsburgh Pirates!