PORT JEFFERSON – The MLB is one Long Island native stronger this season as one of Port Jefferson’s own gets his first major league call up.
Brian Fitzpatrick, a 2022 draft pick, was promoted to the big leagues and pitched 3.2 innings for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Brian Fitzpatrick grew up on Long Island, playing his high school baseball at St. Anthony’s. The former Friar and two-time letterwinner eventually went on to play Division I baseball for Rutgers University. During his time as a scarlet knight, he appeared in 23 games with 7 wins, three losses, an ERA of 5.24, and threw 59 strikeouts.
“Since he was a little boy, he loved it. I remember when he was little, he always wanted to have a catch,” John Fitzpatrick, Brian’s father, told The Messenger. “One time, I told my wife, ‘I’m not going to tell him we’ve had enough and see how long it goes’. We had a catch for an hour and fifteen minutes. I thought, ‘Wow, he really loves this.’ He still does to this day. Everywhere he’s played, the coaches have always told me how much he loves the game and what a good teammate he is.”
The left-handed pitcher stands tall at 6’7”, making him a towering force on the mound. In 2022, Fitzpatrick heard his name get called at the MLB Draft in the tenth round, where he was selected 312th overall by the Milwaukee Brewers. According to his father, he grew up as a New York Mets fan. Needless to say, his allegiance has since changed to his new team.
“When he was little, he was really good. He always threw the ball harder than you’d think a little kid could throw the ball,” said Fitzpatrick. “When he was 11, one of his coaches said ‘What are your plans for him? This kid is really, really good’. All his sisters played D1 Sports. They all love sports, and I think it helps. I want them to play sports because you have to deal with a team, coaches you like, and coaches you don’t like. It kind of sets you up well for work and career.”
Getting drafted is one thing, but the road to the big leagues is another. Fitzpatrick spent time in the minor leagues for various teams: the Arizona Complex Brewers, the Carolina Mudcats, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Nashville Sounds, and the Biloxi Shuckers. The stops made around the minors helped his growth and development as a young pitcher. The Brewers converted Fitzpatrick from a starter to a bullpen player.
“The way he’s cool and calm on the mound, no matter what the heck’s going on. He’s worked on his pitching all through the minor leagues and from college on. Watching him develop his cutter, curveball, and then the two types of fastballs he throws, it’s pretty cool to see the science of it,” said Fitzpatrick.
At 25 years old, the left-handed reliever received his first professional call up to the Brewers on April 29 versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The lefty pitched 1.1 innings when he entered the game in the seventh inning to replace DL Hall. Fitzpatrick pitched 3.2 innings over the last three games, recording two strikeouts. The promotion to the 40 man roster has served as a small sample size of what’s ahead.
“It’s wild, we were all cheering. It’s just been an unbelievable ride watching him; it was a lot of fun. The Brewers took really nice care of us; we had good seats. The Brewers gave him the laminated scorecard signed by Pat Murphy, the first out and first strikeout balls in nice glass boxes and gave him his jersey with the debut emblem and his hat,” an emotional Fitzpatrick told The Messenger, mid-transit to St. Louis to see his son play. John Fitzpatrick enjoyed the little trip down memory lane, getting to reminisce about his son’s baseball career over the years.
“I thank the good Lord he’s a Brewer because they seem to do everything right in how they develop guys. He [Brian] respects everything about the Brewers and the players there. They have a good process and a phenomenal culture, it’s amazing to see,” said Fitzpatrick.
