Anglin’s long road back leads to Wild Things
Mack Anglin’s professional baseball career could easily be filed under What Could Have Been. After all, plenty of people whose job it is to identify potential major leaguers believed Anglin, currently a relief pitcher for the Wild Things, had a legitimate shot at making it to the big time.
Anglin was drafted twice, including in the seventh round in 2022 by the Kansas City Royals. The 6-5 right-hander had the size and powerful arm and he had proven his value as the No. 1 starter with Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference. MLB.com rated his slider as one the two best breaking pitches among those players in the 2022 draft class.
With all of that going for him, Anglin’s career with the Royals lasted less than 50 innings.
It wasn’t because of the results. He had a sub-2.00 ERA and averaged more than one strikeout per inning.
The problem was Anglin’s lack of availability. And in minor league baseball, you’re best ability needs to be availablity.
Anglin’s career in the Royals’ system was one marred by injuries. Plural.
They caused him to miss two entire seasons.
He made 24 relief appearances for Class A Columbia in 2023 and put up good numbers across the board.
“Even that year, I dealt with some injuries but they were minor,” Anglin recalled.
By spring training in 2024, Anglin knew something was wrong.
“As a pitcher you deal with normal soreness all the time,” he said. “That’s what you think it is until it gets to the point that it’s not getting any better. You try to push through it, but it reaches the point where you know something is not right.”
Something was wrong in Aglin’s elbow and he needed reconstructive surgery, or Tommy John surgery as it’s known in baseball circles. His 2024 season was over before it started.
Eager to return in 2025, Anglin went to spring training in Arizona ready to prove that he was back and better than ever.
“I was doing my rehab and building up after Tommy John surgery and toward the end of that progression I strained my lat (muscle). That resulted in me being down for three weeks and having to build back up,” Anglin said.
But that wasn’t the end of the injuries.
“Coming off of that, I ended up straining my lat again,” he said.
That meant that 2025 was another missed season for the talented prospect.
“Coming into spring training this year, I was feeling good. Felt healthy. I threw three or four live ABs against hitters and after my last one I felt something in my arm.”
That something was a strained triceps.
“I couldn’t believe it happened. I thought these things were finally behind me,” Anglin said. “After that happened, I spent the whole spring training building back up. I had taken four weeks off from throwing, and then the last week of spring training I had started to play catch. That was also when they told me they were going to let me go and I was released.”
Just like that, his baseball career seemed to be over. He pitched well in 2023, but before he could throw another pitch in a game his career had reached a dead end.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Anglin admitted. “The day I was released, I was pretty upset for three hours.”
Anglin, however, wasn’t ready to give up on himself or his career. So the next day he drove from Arizona to Miami and continued his rehab.
“I had that belief that I could come back. God gave me courage to keep going. I trained down there for a month and half and got my body right,” he said.
Anglin stayed in Florida through April before returning to his hometown of Marengo, Ohio, a community north of Columbus. It’s the same town that produced former major league pitcher Tim Belcher.
“I was working out with a high school baseball team. … Once I got to the point that I was back in shape, I started facing hitters. There were some college hitters home from school and I started throwing to them, five or six live BPs, and I got to the point where I said I just want to go play some baseball,” Anglin explained. “I talked with my agent and told him I’m ready. I don’t care where it is, I’ll go. I want to play.”
Anglin’s agent responded, “I know a guy and we’ll give him a call and see if there is an opportunity there.”
That guy turned out to be Wild Things manager Tom Vaeth. Washington had just lost five pitchers, each of whom had their contract purchased by a major league organization. They were desperate for pitchers.
“It has been such a blessing to be here,” Anglin said.
In 12 relief outings with the Wild Things entering Friday night’s game against Evansville, Anglin has a 2-0 record, one save and a 2.53 ERA. He has 18 strikeouts in 10.2 innings and only six walks. He has been a setup man for Wild Things closer Landon Ginn.
And Anglin said he’s feeling better than he has in many years.
“Honestly,” he started, “I’ve never felt more complete as a pitcher. … I’m more confident than ever. I’m not bitter at the Royals. As soon as I got to pro ball injuries happened. When they released me, the first thing I said was ‘I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to return what you guys gave me.’ My body just wouldn’t get out of my way.
“The odd thing is, when you’re not pitching in a game, you have a lot more time, and within that time I was able to look at myself and say ‘What can I improve on? What can I do differently?’ Within that time I was able to sharpen the sword. Now I’m feeling better than ever, which is crazy after missing almost three years of not playing.”