All Summer Long: Mitchell White

Posted: Jul 21, 2014

Note: Summer and baseball have always seemed to fit together perfectly. For fans of the game, summer is a time to enjoy the sights, sounds and atmosphere of America's pastime, but for college baseball players, it is a time for development. College players across the country, including members of the Santa Clara baseball squad, have already left for their summer experiences just weeks after finals as they begin preparation for the 2015 season.

After a much-improved 2014 campaign on the Mission Campus, Bronco ball players now occupy rosters throughout the nation in summer leagues that are helping them grow as players. Santa Clara is represented in twelve different leagues from the Bay Area to New England, while others play for independent teams. The "All Summer Long" series, in its fourth season, will chronicle the Broncos as they play in various summer leagues nationwide.

By Dylan Lynch

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – While the All Summer Long series focuses on Broncos that are playing their summer baseball nationwide, we're also keeping up with players who are staying on campus to recover from injuries to prepare for next season. With help from the Santa Clara training staff, as well as their teammates, these players are eager to return to the field at 100% by the time the season rolls around.

Before getting Tommy John surgery on his elbow last Thanksgiving, Mitchell White was on track to pitch for the Broncos in the spring and go on to play summer ball in Virginia. Now, the rising sophomore from San Jose is hungry to get back on the field as he spends his summer rehabilitating with the training staff at Santa Clara as well as doing some training on his own.

White, the right-hander from Bellarmine College Prep, posted a remarkable 1.05 ERA as a junior while helping lead the team to the second round of the CCS playoffs. It comes as no surprise that White is prepared to bring that intensity onto the field for the Broncos.

While many of his teammates are spread out across the country playing summer ball, White looks to make the most of each training and physical therapy session this summer.

"It takes about a year to fully recover (from Tommy John surgery)," White says. "I throw three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with John Ursone, our trainer. Then I work with him in the training room as much as possible doing all sorts of exercises to strengthen my back and shoulder."

With the one-year mark rolling around the corner, White has stepped up his training process to ensure he'll be prepared by the start of the season. In addition to the rehabilitation he has been doing at Santa Clara, Mitchell works out twice a week with Sparta Performance in Palo Alto.

With such a full schedule devoted to his recovery, Mitchell explains that it's difficult to find any time to break from his routine, "It's hard to take a lot of time off. What I would want to do, though, is visit my aunt and uncle out in New York City for a little while, but I have no idea if I'll be able to between work, physical therapy and everything else. I might just go on a couple weekend camping trips with some buddies."

Fortunately, Mitchell and his fellow Broncos have been able to keep in touch, no matter where they may be. "We've got a few group chats going between the whole team and the pitchers, plus a few smaller groups of guys."

Beyond text groups, White admits that the team has found new ways to stay connected. "Even though I don't use it all that much, Snapchat is a big part of how we keep in touch."

With summer ball in full swing, be sure to keep up with the All Summer Long series as we keep you updated on Broncos both on campus and beyond!