Sam Travis makes professional home debut

LOWELL, Mass. — Six days after being drafted by the Boston Red Sox, IU first baseman Sam Travis took his first steps on the Green Monster.

Peering up at 13 American League Pennants, past Pesky Pole and out into the grand stands, Travis got his first taste of the “show,” and the road it would take to get there. 

On Friday night, he began paving that road, making his home debut with the Red Sox Class A affiliate — the Lowell Spinners.

It was a rough night for the former Hoosier standout, going 0-for-4 at the plate.

“There’s so much history behind this ballpark,” he said of Fenway Park. “I’m just glad to be a part of it.”

A second-round draft pick, 67th pick overall, in the MLB draft, Travis said he has embraced his new role in Bean Town with relative ease.

The 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year made his departure from Bloomington official this past Monday, signing a contract that is reportedly worth $846,000.

“It took some getting used to, but now that I finally signed and I’m settling in, I’m starting to get the swing of things,” he said. “I’m making the adjustment pretty well I think.”

No stranger to the state of Massachusetts, Travis participated in the Cape Cod Baseball League after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors at IU.

The team he was recruited to play for also went by the Red Sox moniker, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

“It’s good to be back,” Travis said of the Massachusetts area. “I guess it was meant to be.”

Setting aside the familiar, Travis said the biggest adjustment is simply resisting the urge to hit the snooze button.

“You have to come to the ballpark a lot earlier here than you do in college, but that’s about it,” he said. “It’s just playing baseball and having fun, and that’s how you have to approach the game.”

One thing is certain: the move to the pros has done little to deter Travis’ resolve.
Now more than ever, he said he feels there is something to prove.

“I definitely always have a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I’m not really the tallest, ideal first baseman. I’m a right-handed hitter and guys usually like lefties.

“But I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life.”