Why Justyn-Henry Malloy was stunned and speechless after Detroit Tigers first practice

LAKELAND, Fla. — She could hear it in his voice.

Justyn-Henry Malloy, the talented Detroit Tigers prospect, sounded sad and dejected as he talked on the phone with his mother, Jacqueline Malloy.

“I was gonna surprise you,” she told him on Sunday. “But I won’t be able to come to Florida for your birthday. I want to hang back with your father and make sure that he's all good.”

Henry Malloy, his father, has been dealing with a health issue.

“OK,” Justyn-Henry said, trying to be upbeat but he sounded so dang sad.

So, Jacqueline decided to fly to Florida on Monday morning.

Standby.

Sure, it was risky.

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Jacqueline got to the airport at 5 in the morning — two hours before her flight — and she asked the gate agent her chances.

“Somebody's gonna miss the flight,” the agent said confidently.

They started to board: first class. Main Cabin 1. Main Cabin 2.

“Jacqueline!” the agent said.

A spot opened up.

And Jacqueline flew to Tampa.

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Happy tears flowing

After the Tigers' first official full-squad practice on Monday, Justyn-Henry was signing some autographs outside the Tigers clubhouse, and he heard his girlfriend’s voice.

“Justyn!” Waleiny Brown said, standing behind a fence.

Strange, he thought.

“I'm like, ‘what is she doing here?” Justyn-Henry said. “It was a nice surprise to see her.”

He turned to walk to her, and his mother popped out from behind a fan.

“I think I said an expletive,” Justyn-Henry said, smiling.

Justyn-Henry grabbed his mother in a hug, and she started crying.

“I couldn't believe it,” Justyn-Henry said. “I'm kind of shocked right now. That’s my birthday present.”

He turned 24 on Monday. “I'm kind of at a loss for words,” he said. “I didn't expect it at all.”

In many ways, Justyn-Henry is a miracle baby. Jacqueline had him in her 40s.

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“We poured everything into him,” Jacqueline said.

All their love and support.

“That's my guy,” she said. “I'm the one that took him to every practice and sat in the car for three hours. His father was always working. His father, when he came home, he would take off his suit and throw him balls and go to the field and take him. I'd be cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and this kid is out on the field. He makes us so proud.”

“What advice are you giving him about this year?” I asked. “Because he's right on the doorstep of making this team.”

“The only thing I tell him is that I pray,” she said. “That's all I do. I pray. This kid is so determined. He does not care what's in front of them. He's like, whatever God wants from me, wherever he wants me to be, I’ll be.”

Full of humility

Here’s a funny story about Justyn-Henry that sums up his humility.

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A year ago, he was assigned one of the portable lockers in the middle of the clubhouse. I remember talking to him and he looked wide-eyed and in awe to share a clubhouse with Javier Báez and Miguel Cabrera.

“First big-league camp,” he said, looking back. “Kind of — well, not kind of — really nervous.”

When he was sent to the minor league camp, he had to move his stuff to the minor-league clubhouse.

So, this year, when he arrived in Lakeland to start preparing for spring training, he didn’t assume anything. Even though he was invited to the big-league camp, he started using the minor league clubhouse again.

FROM LAST YEAR: Justyn-Henry Malloy has big bat, bigger personality and tons of potential

One of the Tigers clubhouse guys basically said: Hey man, how long have you been here?

For a while, Justyn-Henry replied.

And the clubhouse guy said: Well, you’ve got a locker in the big-league clubhouse.

“I’ve got a locker!” Justyn-Henry said. “I was so hyped.”

He has this wonderful, humble personality.

And this spring, he looks different.

He looks — and sounds — far more comfortable and relaxed; and he has a legit chance to make this team. He is fighting for one of the last spots on the roster.

Malloy has the one trait that the Tigers need so badly — an ability to hit the ball. He has hit .277 with a .890 OPS in 644 Triple-A games.

“As far as getting closer to the goal, I mean, it's just kind of like that day-by-day thing,” he said. “Just do the right things every day. Small little steps. And just having that add up over the course of time.”

It’s kind of how he has lived his life.

If there is one thing that Jacqueline heard over and over on Monday, from people in the parking lot to a reporter, it was this: He’s just a great kid.

And he is.

But he’s 24 now.

And he got the best birthday present.

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Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.

To read Seidel's recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: This left Detroit Tigers' Justyn-Henry Malloy speechless in spring training