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Stan Belinda ended his major league career with the Atlanta Braves, and now his nephew is starting his professional journey in the same spot.
Jacob Belinda, a Tyrone graduate who just wrapped up his collegiate career at Lock Haven, was selected in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball draft Tuesday afternoon by the Braves with the 290th overall pick.
"I've never been to Atlanta, but I'm pretty excited to go there," Belinda said. "I love the organization. My uncle played for Atlanta at the end of his career, and I'm excited to pick up where he left off."
Belinda struck out 78 batters in just 61 innings this past season, setting a record for the most strikeouts in school history for a single season.
"Jake made a jump in the spring of his junior year, and this past year he had a great summer in the prospect league with the West Virginia Miners," Lock Haven coach Jim Chester said. "I would say all 30 teams saw him at some point this spring. He was highly covered his senior year.
"His physical and mental maturity came together and the good Lord told him it was time for his body to change. His sophomore year he was throwing 87 to 90 miles per hour and now he's at 90 to 96. He's got a big-time arm, and I could see him having a lot of success out of the bullpen."
Belinda also credited the summer league, along with extra training.
"The summer collegiate league put emphasis on better players playing against each other," Belinda said. "It was like a minor league system, and you saw better competition.
"I hit the weight room a couple times a week, tried to eat a lot of protein and just get my overall body mass to a comfortable position where I could throw more easily and harder than I used to."
The 6-foot right-handed pitcher went 6-2 this season, finished his career with 206 career strikeouts and was named to the first team of the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference squad following the year.
During his time with West Virginia in the prospect league, he won five games in nine starts and finished with a 2.06 ERA.
"He's really blossomed the last few years here," Chester said. "Jake's development has been over the past 18 months. Three years ago, Jake had an immense amount of talent, and the last 18 months he put it all together from a mental and physical standpoint. He developed into a professional pitcher."
Belinda will fly to Atlanta later this week to meet with the front office. He learned he was heading to the Braves the same time as anyone else watching the draft.
"I was watching the draft on my computer with my dad and grandmother," Belinda said. "It was very exciting, and I felt some relief too that it was finally about to happen. I finally got the call, and it's time to move on and see what my skills can do at the next level."
Belinda hasn't been told whether the Braves see him as a starter or relief pitcher.
"As of right now, I have not had those conversations," Belinda said. "I can see myself probably being a closer, but that's up to the Braves organization."
The pick also meant a lot to Chester and Lock Haven as Belinda became just the second player in school history to be drafted and the first since Tom Sepela was selected in the 21st round in 1986 by the Boston Red Sox with the 537th pick.
"It means a lot to me," Belinda said. "I'm happy that it could happen for me and the school and help get the foot in the door for other kids in the program."
Belinda has a long road to reach the major leagues, but if he does make it with Atlanta, he wouldn't even be the first Mountain League player on their team. Matt Adams, a Philipsburg-Osceola graduate, is the Braves current first baseman. Adams was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 23rd round in 2009.
"I follow Matt pretty closely, and I've worked out with him the past," Belinda said. "It would be something great for our area to show the talent in central Pennsylvania if we both got on the roster at the same time."