'It’s been a wild ride for sure': West Boylston's Mariano Ricciardi travels on pro baseball tour to Double-A promotion

Mariano Ricciardi has embarked on a baseball Tour d'America since graduating from Worcester Academy six years ago.

The 5-foot-7, 170-pound second baseman from West Boylston redshirted at Florida Atlantic University, before transferring to — and flourishing at — Cypress College in Southern California and Dayton. As a pro, there have been minor league stops in Arizona, California, Michigan, and, currently, Alabama.

“Oh yeah, it’s been a wild ride for sure when you look at it like that,” Ricciardi, 25, said Monday from Nashville during a delayed layover on his way to Cape Cod for some sun, sand and surf during the four-day All-Star break.

“It really comes down to how bad you want it. You know if you’re good if the environment is right for you or not. Some of them have been and some of them haven’t been, but you don’t find that until you actually go and experience it. I think that just comes with the territory.”

Ricciardi was a two-time Central New England Prep School Baseball League all-star at Worcester Academy and named to the Atlantic 10 Conference all-championship team as a senior at Dayton before being drafted in the 18th round (548th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in July 2021.

Former Worcester Academy, Bravehearts star Mariano Ricciardi keeps on hitting for Dayton

Recovery, return to field

Thirteen months later, with his first full minor league season nearing its end, Ricciardi tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee trying to avoid a collision at first base on an errant throw from short while playing for the Stockton Ports, the A’s Low-A affiliate.

That led to a nine-plus-month recovery process that began at home in Massachusetts and ended in Arizona at the A’s spring training complex.

“It was a long one,” Ricciardi said.

Ricciardi was activated by Stockton on June 5 and promoted to the Lansing Lugnuts, the A’s High-A affiliate in Michigan a day later.

In his first game back, Ricciardi singled on the first pitch he saw. He finished 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run in a 13-9 win over the South Bend Cubs.

“It was great,” Ricciardi said of being back on the field. “I was kind of antsy toward the end of (rehab). I felt like I was ready, but they really take their time with it.

“And they were great. I’d rather have them check all the boxes off but, you know, I wanted to get out there a lot earlier than I did.”

It wasn’t long before Ricciardi wanted out due to a lack of playing time. He was released three weeks later, a move he termed a “mutual thing” and one in his best interest to “see if there was a better option out there.”

Fortunately, and expediently, there was.

Two days after being let go by Oakland, the Los Angeles Angels signed Ricciardi on July 28, which just happens to be his birthday.

And in a double delight, he received a promotion as the Angels assigned him to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, their Double-A affiliate in Madison, Alabama.

“Pretty good present,” said Ricciardi, who drove straight from Michigan to Alabama to join a new team in a new organization in a new city.

“It was definitely a crazy week. I was really happy and fortunate I was able to find a different opportunity that was going to allow me to get in the lineup more. And obviously it’s Double A, so it’s better baseball.

“But it’s been a great experience. Everybody over there has been great to me. They’ve given me a shot, they believe in me, and I have nothing but good things to say about them.”

Getting job done

Ricciardi entered the All-Star break slashing a solid .250/.364/.286 with a double, two RBIs and five runs over 28 at-bats in nine games. He has walked four times and been hit by a pitch.

While his offensive production hasn’t been overwhelming, Ricciardi, who has an excellent .318 average on balls put in play, believes he’s making the necessary adjustments to succeed at Double A against pitchers, many of whom he considers to be big league ready.

“It’s a small sample size, but I feel like I’ve had a pretty good start, and the metrics and the things that they kind of cover (analytically), I’m doing well at,” Riccardi said.

“So I just have to stick to my approach and my game plan, and I feel like the results will come. That’s just part of the game.”

Ricciardi, who graduated from Dayton with a degree in communications, said he’s asked often if he has plans once his playing days are over.

Most frequently whether he’d stay in the game, following in the family footsteps of his dad, J.P., a special advisor to the president of baseball operations with the San Francisco Giants, and brother, Dante, a scout for the Boston Red Sox.

For now, the answer is a definitive not sure.

“I love baseball, and my family has obviously been in it for so long,” Ricciardi said, “but I also have a lot of other interests, and right now I’m just trying to pursue my dream and stick with that. I’m trying to put all my energy and time and effort into this.”

So, yes, there are more stages to come in this baseball Tour de America.

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Mariano Ricciardi rides pro baseball tour to Double-A promotion