Player profiles: The Rookies from Florida

Teammates and friends:
Dunnigan (left) and Taylor Perez are college and Swamp Bats teammates.

At its essence, the New England College Baseball League is a developmental league. That’s true for two rookie Swamp Bats from Saint Leo University in Florida, pitcher Michael Dunnigan and infielder Taylor Perez.

As it turns out, Lions coach Sean O’Connor is originally from New England and it is through the network of baseball that these two find themselves with the Swamp Bats. Both players reflected on the opportunity of the NECBL. “Everyone has something to work on. For me, I just started to throw a slider this season; I’m working on throwing it for a strike and turn it into my put-away pitch as well. Everyone has their own stuff to work on, you just try to fine tune everything over the summer,” Michael said. 

Taylor started the season playing shortstop with Bret Dennis playing 2^nd base. With the arrival of Jarred Mederos and now, Ro Coleman, Perez has played at 2^nd base and 3^rd base in recent weeks.  Variety is a teacher. “I actually like playing different positions. It gives me a different feel of things.”

In his first game at Alumni Field against the Laconia Muskrats, the 5’10”, 165 pound, Perez hit a towering double to left field. The feeling of an extra-base hit can be addictive.  “My main thing is I pull off the ball. I try and hit it too far. I just have to stay through my swing.”

Both players have adjusted to playing in a league that uses wood bats exclusively. “I like it,” Taylor says. “It’s a better measure of how you hit the ball. With metal bats, you can get away with a bad swing; you can hit off the handle and still get a base hit.”

Dunnigan prefers wood bats as well, from a pitcher’s perspective. “If you get a guy up and in, the bat’s going to break. With an aluminum bat, it’s tougher because they can get a bloop hit. With a wood bat, if my pitch is down, a ball is going to die. With an aluminum bat, a batted ball can find a hole.”

Speaking before Saturday night’s game on the most perfect beautiful day of the season, Michael summed up why these Floridians are enjoying summer in Keene. “The weather’s perfect, the humidity isn’t as near as bad as Florida and I love how it gets cool at night.”