The sole Maryland native participating in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Nationals Park might be one of the event’s best success stories.
He was drafted by the hometown Orioles in the 19th round six years ago after appearing on the organization’s radar just before his final high school start. He was tall and skinny, and his fastball pushed the mid-80s. He didn’t do the showcase circuit and wasn’t a big draft prospect, and he was planning to continue his baseball career at a local community college.
But two organizations later, Milwaukee Brewers left-handed reliever Josh Hader — who grew up in Millersville — is an All-Star for the first time at the age of 24.