Record breaker
Patrick Ferguson stood at home plate and watched the ball soar well over the right field fence at Kelly Automotive Park.
It was the Pittsburgh Central Catholic graduate's 12th home run of the season for the Butler BlueSox — a single-season team record.
But what has meant more to Ferguson is the chance to play every day.
“It just makes coming to the field a lot easier,” Ferguson said. “Hard work pays off. You don't really think about these kind of things. You just come to the field and it happens. It just means a lot to me to come to the field every day and play with a group of great guys.”
As a freshman at Kent State University, Ferguson played sparingly. He got only 22 at-bats, but he made the most of them with three home runs and six RBI.
He has power. No doubt about that. And it has been on display this summer in Butler.
“He's unreal, man,” said Ferguson's Butler teammate, James Meeker. “He has crazy pop. The sky's the limit for him.”
Ferguson has hit his 12 home runs in just 32 games. He has also driven in 29 runs to go with a .224 average.
He now leads the Prospect League in home runs.
The league record is 20 — not outside the realm of possibility for a left-hander slugger like Ferguson.
Is it at least a little bit in the back of his mind?
“Not really,” Ferguson said. “The biggest thing is going out and trying to get good pitches to hit, get good at-bats and get wins for the team. We're playing for a playoff spot. That's the biggest thing.”
Ferguson said he's also blessed to be hitting in the middle of a potent lineup.
Butler is averaging 6.1 runs per game and has 31 home runs as a team — tied for third in the 10-team league.
Kelly Automotive Park usually isn't conducive to home run hitting. But Ferguson's power seems to trump any stadium.
“The Prospect League has some big parks, but the ball seems to fly well,” Ferguson said. “It's all about having a good approach.”
It's also been all about getting regular playing time for Ferguson.
“It's been a big learning experience for me coming off my freshman year,” he said. “It's my first taste of playing every day. It's cool. I'll enjoy the moment, but you still have a game tomorrow.”
