Outfielder Tyson Gillies got a shot at joining the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training. The 21-year-old deaf ball player didn't make his new team's rooster but was assigned to the Class Double-A Reading Phillies. The Vancouver, British Columbia native is considered a prized prospect, one of the few deaf players in the history of professional baseball. Gillis wears hearing aids but he still can't pick up the crack of the bat. Deaf at birth, Gillies was able to lip reading until he reached the 4th grade and his condition was discovered. He skill at baseball became evident and Gillies was drafted out of high school in 2006 by the Seattle Mariners. He spent the 2007-09 seasons playig Single-A ball and has only nine errors in 224 career games. Last year, he hit .341 and 44 stolen bases.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Major Leaguer
Outfielder Tyson Gillies got a shot at joining the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training. The 21-year-old deaf ball player didn't make his new team's rooster but was assigned to the Class Double-A Reading Phillies. The Vancouver, British Columbia native is considered a prized prospect, one of the few deaf players in the history of professional baseball. Gillis wears hearing aids but he still can't pick up the crack of the bat. Deaf at birth, Gillies was able to lip reading until he reached the 4th grade and his condition was discovered. He skill at baseball became evident and Gillies was drafted out of high school in 2006 by the Seattle Mariners. He spent the 2007-09 seasons playig Single-A ball and has only nine errors in 224 career games. Last year, he hit .341 and 44 stolen bases.
