Cal Poly visited Hawaii a couple of years ago, and pitcher Taylor Dollard was on their roster. He was a well thought of prospect, and I was able to get his autograph. He would go on to be drafted by Seattle in the 5th round of the 2020 draft. Neat.
This past season, with AA Arkansas, Dollard went 16-2 with a 2.25 ERA. Over 144 innings he only allowed 106 hits while striking out 131. He only allowed 31 walks. Following the end of the season, he was selected as the Texas League Pitcher of the Year and Seattle Mariners Minor League Player of the Year.
I get a ton of college players’ autographs during the season. And it’s a lot of work–both for me and for the people that help me. So it’s not always the most fun. The fun comes years later when I am reviewing my collection and sorting out who panned out. It’s an investment in time and money, but worth it for guys like this.