PORT STREET SEA — A few months before he arrived at Sacred Heart University, Zach Short heard rumors that a prominent figure with ties to memories of his favorite childhood baseball team was joining the athletic department.
With former Mets manager Bobby Valentine heading to Sacred Heart University as athletic director, Short couldn’t believe his good fortune.
“I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll try to get to know this guy,'” Short said. The infielder was placed on waivers by the Mets in the offseason and hopes to join the team in spring training. “He never crossed the line or interfered with coaching, but if you wanted to talk to him, he was there.”
Short took advantage of those opportunities.
“He was great for me throughout the draft process,” said Short, who was selected in the 17th round by the Cubs in 2016. “I actually saw him in Los Angeles last year. We were getting ready to take a grounder before the game, and all I heard was ‘Shorty!’ I thought, “No one knows me in LA,” and when I turned around, there was Bobby V, smiling as widely as ever. ”
Short, a 28-year-old Kingston native, grew up on both teams in New York, with his mother rooting for the Yankees and his father rooting for the Mets.
Short was a Mets fan from an early age, but said he spent more of his youth attending Bronx games than Queens.
“The people I like are [Derek] with jeter [Jorge] Posada is a Yankee,” Short said. “But I loved watching players like Edgardo Alfonso and Benny Agbayani grow up. I don’t know why I sided with the Mets. I just sided with my father. think.”
Shortstop’s major league debut came in 2021 with the Tigers.
Last season, he appeared in 112 games with the team, hitting .204/.292/.339 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
He is scheduled to start camp behind veteran Joey Wendle as a backup who can play multiple infield positions.
A shortstop is a player with no minor league options remaining.
“Right now, it’s really every day,” Short said. “They have a lot of young players in their locker room, and I’m excited to make the team and try to help in any way I can.”
