Columbus North graduate Devin Mann makes a play at third base for the Oklahoma City Dodgers earlier this season.
Photo courtesy of Oklahoma City Dodgers
Devin Mann was taking batting practice with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers late Tuesday afternoon when manager Travis Barbary told him to call the Dodgers’ farm director.
That’s when the 2015 Columbus North graduate received that news that he was being traded to the Kansas City Royals organization. He was assigned to the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate.
“I’m very excited,” Mann said. “Obviously, the dream since I was a little kid is to be able to play in the big leagues, and to be in an organization where you feel like that’s something that’s right around the corner and a very true possibility is really cool. I’m excited to make new friendships and form new bonds along the way with guys and things like that. It’s a really cool experience.”
At the same time, Mann is sad to be leaving a Dodgers organization where he had spent the first five years of his professional baseball career.
“Honestly, it’s pretty hard,” Mann said. “Just from a friendship perspective, whether it’s coaching staff, players, teammates, it’s a whirlwind of emotions. I got to say bye to everybody in the clubhouse. I was still at the field. Once the transaction had gone through. It’s nice to be able to say bye and have that closure. But I’m excited for the opportunity and very grateful for the time that I got to spend with the Dodgers and the knowledge that they gave me through my career.”
Omaha began a six-game series in Louisville on Tuesday and will be there through Sunday. Mann drove to Louisville on Wednesday and likely will play his first game with the Storm Chasers there today or Friday.
Devin Mann
Mann played collegiately at University of Louisville from 2016-18.
“This will be the first time (since then) that a vast majority of my family has been able to see me play,” Mann said. “So that will be a pretty rewarding experience.”
This season, Mann was batting .307 with 14 home runs and 71 RBIs at the time of the trade. He also had 33 doubles and 68 runs scored.
Going from an organization that had the first-place team in the National League West to one that has the second-worst record in the major leagues, Mann and baseball insiders are figuring his path to the big leagues will be a little quicker than it was with the Dodgers.
“I think so,” Mann said. “I still think there’s some work to be done moving forward, but obviously, the position I’ve put myself in this year has done me a lot of good, and I think there’s going to be a lot of good opportunities with the Royals and I’m excited to just keep plugging along and see what happens. But I definitely feel like it’s an organization I can get a good shot in, get some traction going and feel good about.”
