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Greenwich native, Keystone alum Riscica reaches his dream

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Greenwich native and GHS and Keystone College alum Ricky Riscica readies for the pitch during a game while at Keystone. Riscica signed a contract to play for the Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League’s Glacier Outlaws.
Greenwich native and GHS and Keystone College alum Ricky Riscica readies for the pitch during a game while at Keystone. Riscica signed a contract to play for the Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League’s Glacier Outlaws.

Greenwich native and Keystone College alum Ricky Riscica knows a thing or two about determination paying off.

Countless injuries, traveling to a plethora of baseball showcases all over the country, and even being told that he’s not what professional baseball teams are looking for didn’t stop the former Greenwich High School football and baseball standout athlete from reaching his goal of playing professional baseball.

“To be honest, this is a dream come true,” said Riscica, talking by cell phone somewhere along I-94 in North Dakota. “You play your whole life hoping that you can play baseball professionally. I have been fortunate enough to be given that opportunity and it’s truly a blessing. It’s something that I have worked for a long time and it’s great to have all that hard work pay off.”

A few weeks ago, Riscica was enjoying the late spring months driving across the country to Montana. Not because of his love for adventure, but because he was signed to play for the Glacier Outlaws of the Mount Rainier Professional Baseball League.

“He’s going to bring leadership and will be a great guy in the clubhouse,” Keystone College baseball head coach Jamie Shevchik said. “He has that great personality. From a baseball standpoint they are getting a quality left-handed hitter that can hit for both average and power. He can also play first base and right field. His bat is going afford him the opportunity to stick around there and hopefully the rest of his game develops like I know it can.”

Riscica was signed during a recent trip to the Boston Red Sox’s Player Development Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.

“I ran my 60 really well. As a first baseman they look for anything close to a seven and I ran a high 6.7. A lot of outfielders run, so I was able to run exceptionally well that day. We played live scrimmages after that and I hit a couple of good shots. I squared up a lot of baseballs and hit a couple of doubles. I also made a bunch of good plays in the field. So I think my speed and offense really caught their eye.”

Greenwich standout Ricky Riscica records the out at first base during a recent game.
Greenwich standout Ricky Riscica records the out at first base during a recent game.

The work paid off. While in the middle of a workout, Riscica got pulled aside and was told that his lifelong dream to play professional baseball was about to become a reality. He was about to sign his first professional contract with the Glacier Outlaws.

“My emotions were very high,” Riscica said. “I still had half the day left where I had to go out there and play ball and not let it affect me. It was a huge honor, but also it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my chest. It took a long time to get where I am and a lot of hard work. For it to pay off and to know that I finally did it was off the charts.”

While with the Outlaws, Riscica plans on bringing his offensive firepower, but also on accomplishing things that can’t be measured with a bat or glove.

“I’ve been swinging the bat really well lately,” Riscica said. “My swing is really where it needs to be and I am very confident right now. I love this game and also bring a lot of energy here every day when I play. You need a couple of guys like that on a team to be successful, the kind of guys that are high-energy, always ready for anything and really motivated.”

To say it’s been a long road to get to professional baseball is an understatement.

“He is one of those kids that you want to have in your program,” Shevchik said. “He comes from an amazing family. He’s a great kid and one of the hardest working kids we’ve ever had here. For him to have the opportunity to play professional baseball is one of those success stories that you hope to get. Wins and losses is one thing, but having kids move on, especially from a small Division III school in Eastern Pennsylvania, and live out their dreams is special We are ecstatic and it couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

Riscica graduated from Keystone College, near Scranton, Pennsylvania, in May. During his senior season with the Giants, he started in 36 of the 38 games played, batted .371, added 43 hits, 34 runs scored, 33 RBIs, had a slugging percentage of .541 and an on-base percentage of .510.

Having him on our baseball program is huge for us,” Shevchik said. “We’ve had eight guys drafted in the past five years and additionally had 25 guys guys independent and free agent contracts. That’s big for us. Having guys like Ricky benefits our program because when we sit here and talk to recruit kids, kids, we don’t have to say that they could be the first one to sign from here. The proof is in the pudding. Ricky made the right decision to come to Keystone, he worked towards his goals and now he has the opportunity to make some money doing something he loves.”

Throughout the summer months, Riscica traveled to different workouts he was invited to, whether in Ohio, Kentucky, Florida or Texas, in an attempt to get his name out there and impress a few scouts along the way.

During those camps, Riscica’s plans were starting to work, as he drew attention from scouts with the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles. However, during one of those workouts, Riscica took some infield outfield, threw to third base and felt a pop in his elbow.

The injury gave Riscica quite a scare. He was left wondering if his dreams would be dashed yet again. While he needed surgery on his elbow in September, luckily there was no need for what is commonly known in baseball as Tommy John surgery.

After rehabbing his elbow for a couple of months, it was back to getting in baseball shape once again. With the help of the Philadelphia Phillies’ pitching coach down in Clearwater, Florida, Riscica got his arm where it needed to be.

From there he went back to Keystone College to train with his former collegiate baseball team. In February, Riscica got word of a workout in Florida, and the rest is history.

“It was a long road to get signed, but it is totally worth it,” Riscica said. “I wouldn’t change a thing. I spent the summer touring the country and it was a blast. It was tough and a lot of times I heard the words ‘No, you’re not good enough’ or ‘No, you can’t do this’ or ‘No, we’re not looking for a guy like you,’ and after hearing all that, you start to question things. But I stayed with it, I was determined and got to sign a contract.”

For Riscica, the drive to Montana to play professional baseball was a memorable journey, but all that it signifies will really sink in once he sits in the locker room and puts on his first professional baseball jersey for the first time.

“I will be very excited,” Riscica said. “It’s going to be one of those things where I am going to have to contain my emotions. Putting on a professional uniform for the first time is a lifetime experience and something I’m going to tell my kids and my grand kids about. I’m going to go out there, take it as another day and remember that it’s the same game I’ve been playing since I was five-years old.”

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