Pitcher Corey Baker Hopes to Make Mark in Pro Baseball

Corey Baker, a lifelong New City resident, is spending the summer pursuing a goal of playing professional baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

Baker, who graduated this spring from the University of Pittsburgh, was selected by the Cardinals in the 49th round of the 2011 draft and is now pitching for the Batavia Muckdogs, the Cardinals’ affiliate in the short-season Class A New York-Penn League. The Muckdogs’ home field is between Buffalo and Rochester in western New York.

“It’s been a tough but interesting summer. It’s really flown by,” Baker told Patch outside the Dutchess Stadium clubhouse in Fishkill last week while the Muckdogs were playing three games against the Hudson Valley Renegades. The regular season began June 17 and ends September 4.

Baker, who wears number 8, pitched 2.2 innings of middle relief for Batavia Tuesday, August 2, during his lone appearance in the series after being called from the bullpen with one out in the fifth inning. He gave up two runs (both earned) and six hits, walked one batter and struck out two. The Muckdogs fell to the Renegades 7-3; the right-hander did not figure in the decision. He has a 3-1 won-lost record, one save to his credit and a 4.50 earned run average.

Baker pitched and played second base at Clarkstown South High School, from which he graduated in 2007. He then pitched for the University of Pittsburgh, where he majored in history and minored in political science. Eventually he plans to go back to school for a master’s degree in sports management.

Meanwhile, in the off-season he plans to seek an athletic department internship, keep in shape at Pitt and count down the days to spring training in 2012.

“I love baseball,” he said. “The Cardinals are a great organization, and I hope to move up.”

The next stop most likely would be the Quad Cities River Bandits, the Cardinals’ long-season Class A affiliate in Davenport, Iowa, which plays in the Midwest League

Baker is the son of Leah and Mark Baker. He was born November 23, 1989, bats and throws righty and is listed on the Muckdog roster as 6-foot-1, 173 pounds. His older brother, Halley, also played high school baseball.

As a New York resident Baker is something of a rarity; he is the only New Yorker – indeed, the only player from the entire northeastern United States – on the Muckdog roster. The Renegades have no New York players. Rosters throughout the 14-team New York-Penn League tend to be dominated by players from California, the Southeast, the Caribbean and Latin America.