SALEM — Peabody native Steve Leavitt was cut from the Salem State baseball team during his freshman year. But sometimes patience reaps in benefits.
Three years later, Leavitt, a right-handed pitcher, led the Vikings with four complete games on the mound and finished his senior season with a 4-4 record, 3.67 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings of work. In the process, Leavitt emerged as a key piece of Salem State’s rotation and one of the more reliable pitchers in MASCAC.
Now Leavitt’s taking the next step in his baseball career. The 23-year-old recently signed a contract with the Ruidoso Osos of the Independent Pecos League. The Pecos League is an independent league operating in cities in desert mountain regions throughout California, New Mexico, Southern Arizona, Kansas, West Texas and Southern Colorado.
“Steve has the opportunity to play professional baseball and you never know,” Salem State baseball coach Al Donovan, a Lynn native, said. “Pitchers and positional players get injured in the minors and teams will go look through the independent leagues to see who’s playing well. It’s a chance for a young kid to live his dream and make an opportunity out of it.
“We’re all happy for him at Salem State,” Donovan added. “The opportunity he’ll get out there is well deserved. He graduated and was an academic all-MASCAC player for three years. I’m sure he’ll go out there and work with the same effort he had all four years here.”
Leavitt, who graduated from Salem State in May with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, gave the Osos a verbal commitment in May. The Osos, based in Ruidoso, New Mexico, will play the majority of their games on the road this summer. Leavitt made a cross-country drive and joined the team last week.
“It’s unbelievable,” Leavitt said. “Three weeks ago when we lost in the semifinals of the MASCAC Tournament, I thought my organized baseball career was over. I thought I’d be playing in a men’s league for the rest of my life. I got a call from Coach Donovan. He told me they needed pitchers and it was kind of a no-brainer for me.
“Everyone wants to play for the Red Sox as a kid,” Leavitt added. “Just having the opportunity to continue my baseball career, you can’t beat that.”
The chance for Leavitt to play baseball and showcase his talents at the professional level is one he doesn’t plan on taking for granted. With an elevated level of competition, Leavitt foresees challenges along the way but feels confident his success will translate to the professional diamond.
“It’s professional baseball but the way it was explained to me, a lot of these guys are players that got cut from rookie league baseball,” Leavitt said. “I expect it to be around the level I played in college, probably better. I’m hoping my skills can translate at this level. I’m confident and hoping to make the best of it.”
Donovan, who worked with Leavitt as the team’s pitching coach before taking the helm of the program two years ago, has nothing but confidence in his chance to make noise with the Osos.
“You’re going to face all kinds of players that have been released from minor league baseball teams,” Donovan said. “You have to realize too that you’re infielders, outfielders and catchers are all better players too. You just have to go out there, throw strikes and compete. He will. He believes in himself and his abilities. He’ll be fine.”
Leavitt’s cross-country drive wasn’t his first trip out West. For the past two seasons, the Vikings have made an annual trip to Arizona for an early-season slate of non-conference games.
“We’ve done two spring trips to Tucson so I know the area pretty well,” Leavitt said. “We’re mostly an away team so we’ll be living out of motels for the majority of the time. It’s not an ideal thing but when you’re playing professional baseball, it’s not an opportunity you can pass up.”
Leavitt’s the third Salem State baseball player to reach the professional ranks in recent years. Fellow Peabody native Mike Davis spent last summer playing in the Empire League with the Old Orchard Beach Surge. Newburyport’s Richie Fecteau’s currently in the Los Angeles Angels organization with the Inland Empire 66ers of the California League.
“We have good players. We have guys that fight and want to keep playing,” Leavitt said. “I played with Mike and Richie and those guys were our captains. Richie’s doing pretty well. Mike was a great baseball player at Salem State. We have talent at Salem State and people can further their careers through our program.”
Leavitt, a Peabody High product, credited Coach Donovan for helping him reach a position to succeed.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my friends and family,” Leavitt said, “and I wouldn’t have this opportunity without Coach Donovan. He’s the one that set it up for me. I definitely have a lot to thank him for. Without him I wouldn’t be here. He fights for his players and he wants them to succeed. I know he’ll do that for future players.”
