BELLVILLE — If you are a pitcher for the Yankees, there’s nothing better than beating the Red Sox. That holds true in the Gulf Coast League as well as the American League East. Just ask 2010 Clear Fork product Travis Hissong.
The 23-year-old Hissong, who signed with the Yankees as a rookie free agent in June, helped one of the organization’s two Gulf Coast League (GCL) affiliates reach the GCL championship series late last month. The Yankees lost the best-of-three series to the Reds Sox, 2-1.
The Red Sox might have won in two were it not for Hissong. The hard-throwing right-hander earned the save in the second game, a 6-5 Yankees victory at the Red Sox JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla. Hissong came on with runners at first and second and one out in the seventh and the Yankees clinging to a one-run lead. He struck out the first batter he faced before catcher Alvaro Noriega picked off the runner at first to douse the fire. Hissong would strike out three more batters in two perfect innings of work for the unorthodox 2.2-inning save.
“I came into the game in a sticky situation. The Red Sox already had scored four runs in the inning and they had the tying run on second base,” Hissong said. “I got a strikeout, we picked a guy off and we were able to get the win.”
Hissong’s fastball was clocked at 96 mph during the game.
“The Red Sox (radar) gun had me at 97 once,” Hissong said. “I’m normally around 94, but it was the playoffs and the adrenaline was flowing.”
The postseason was kind to Hissong, who pitched Clear Fork to the Division III state championship before heading to Wright State University. He earned the win in a one-game semifinal over the other Yankees GCL affiliate. He surrendered two hits and one run while striking out two in an inning of relief work.
“It was pretty awesome,” Hissong said. “I was proud to be able to compete as several different levels in my first year.”
After signing in June, Hissong reported to the Staten Island Yankees of the short season Class A New York Penn League. He made two appearances for the SIYanks, giving up one unearned run and striking out three in three innings pitched before being sent to the GCL.
The highlight of the season came when Hissong was promoted to the Tampa Yankees, the organization’s advanced Class A affiliate in the Florida State League for a spot start in mid-July. The outing was cut short by rain, but Hissong struck out one and didn’t allow a run in 1.2 innings.
“High A ball was pretty cool,” Hissong said. “I got to pitch at Steinbrenner Field and I met C.C. Sabathia, who was there on a rehab assignment.
“You meet a lot of former big leaguers. Drew Henson is the hitting coach and ‘El Duque’ (Orlando Hernandez) is around helping with the pitchers. Darryl Strawberry is at the facility sometimes, too.”
In 14 regular season appearances with Staten Island, the Gulf Coast Yankees and the Tampa Yankees, Hissong was 1-1 with one save, 24 strikeouts and just four walks in 21.1 innings pitched. He surrendered 20 hits and allowed six earned runs. In his two postseason appearances, he was 1-0 with a save , six strikeouts, two hits and one earned run in 3.2 innings pitched.
“The organization was happy with what I did this year,” Hissong said. “Coming out, as a rookie free agent, they just wanted to see how I prepared and how I handled myself on the mound in certain situations.”
So what’s next for Hissong?
“I was going to play fall ball, but the Yankees wanted me to rest my arm because I had a lot of innings between college and summer ball and pro ball,” he said. “Hopefully I will get assigned to a higher affiliate coming out of spring training next year. I just have to keep working hard.”
That shouldn’t be an issue, former high school teammate Jake Dickerson said. Dickerson is a senior on the Mount Vernon Nazarene baseball team and a MLB Draft prospect after batting .372 with 52 runs batted in for the Cougars last spring.
“Nothing that Travis does surprises me because I know how hard he works,” said Dickerson, who was in San Diego at a showcase for Dave Stewart. Stewart is a former big league pitcher who now represents such Major League Baseball stars as Matt Kemp and native Ohioan Chad Billingsley.
“He has always pushed himself for as long as I’ve known him,” said Dickerson of Hissong.
Hissong and Dickerson have remained close friends. In fact, Hissong (along with former Clear Fork teammates Joe Staab and Brendan Liberti, all members of the 2010 state championship team) will be in Dickerson’s wedding later this month.
“That team had great chemistry,” Dickerson said. “We grew up playing together and we’re still all friends.”
The friendship between Hissong and Dickerson might have to take a backseat if the two are on opposing teams in the minor leagues. Who would win that matchup?
“I really don’t know,” said the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Dickerson, “But it would be awesome if it happened.”
“He has always pushed himself for as long as I’ve known him,” said Dickerson of Hissong.
