HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (TENNESSEE VALLEY LIVING) - Let’s hear it for the hometown kid!
If the stands have seemed more packed lately at Toyota Field, it’s likely because a lot of friends are pouring in to cheer on #20.
“The first game back was a Tuesday,” says second baseman Mitch Daly. “I was as nervous for that game as I was in the College World Series. It means a lot to have a lot of the people you grew up around here and supporting you.”
A graduate of Bob Jones High School, Daly returns as the first-ever Madison County local to join the Trash Pandas, though it’s safe to say Rocket City has changed a lot since he first called the area home.
“I was actually here when we started voting for the name for the Trash Pandas. There was just a lot of excitement going up around the stadium and what it would mean to the community,” says Daly. “It’s cool to be back. It’s a different lens on Madison and Huntsville.”
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A new town though doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to Mitch. His father being a 4-star general meant the Daly family moved every few years, which provided a level of adaptability Mitch found helpful to the game.
“Across the country, everybody plays the game a little different, so I’m thankful looking back on it because you get to add so much to your tool bag, different styles along the way.”
That kind of skillset should prove well throughout Mitch’s pro career. While the standout was just recently traded in mid-June to the Inland Empires in California, local fans are hoping the hometown kid will be back at Toyota Field soon.
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