Hall alum Ty Rybarczyk ‘chasing a dream’ with Joliet Slammers

Last summer after Ty Rybarczyk’s baseball career at Indiana University was over, the Joliet Slammers reached out to him.

“At the time, I was still working my way back from Tommy John surgery and the arm wasn’t recovering the way I wanted it to, so I made the decision to hold off, train and get fully healthy going into a potential pro season,” Rybarczyk said.

Fast forward to this summer and now the Hall graduate is a member of the Slammers, an independent professional team in the Frontier League.

“This winter, I threw a pro day at K’s Academy and sat 94 to 96 mph, which caught the attention of a few organizations,” Rybarczyk said. “Joliet reached out shortly after and I ended up signing with them.

“It’s definitely a cool experience [to play professionally]. Waking up, heading to the ballpark every day and calling it your job, it really doesn’t get much better than that.”

Rybarczyk, who helped Hall win the 2018 Class 1A state championship, has made 12 appearances out of the bullpen for the Slammers.

“I feel like I’m exactly where I should be. For any kid out there chasing a dream, keep going. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not possible. It’s only crazy until it’s not.”

—  Ty Rybarczyk, Hall graduate

He’s 1-1 with a 4.23 ERA and 20 strikeouts with three walks in 17 innings.

“The season’s going well,” Rybarczyk said. “Like any year, there are ups and downs. It’s a long grind and we play every day, so it’s important not to get too high or too low. But overall, I’m happy with how I’m performing and enjoying every bit of it.”

Rybarczyk has given up one earned run or less in every outing but one. The exception came June 3 when he gave up four earned runs in ⅓ innings.

In his last three outings, Rybarczyk has pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks.

“Getting ahead and attacking hitters with my best stuff,” Rybarczyk said about the keys to his recent success. “I’m not holding anything back. I’m throwing everything as hard as I can. With that mentality, I think my whole arsenal plays up.”

While Rybarczyk’s goal for the season is “to help the team win as many games as possible,” his long-term goal is to get into affiliated baseball.

“I’m hoping to get picked up by an affiliated team,” he said. “That’s the main focus right now – just keep stacking days and doing my job until that call comes.

“I feel like I’m exactly where I should be. For any kid out there chasing a dream, keep going. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not possible. It’s only crazy until it’s not.”

Besides playing professionally, Rybarczyk also is involved in training through his business, TR Training, and coaching as the pitching coach at IVCC.

“I’m passionate about the training side of the game,” Rybarczyk said. “I’ve been building a business to help develop kids and athletes in the Illinois Valley and give them a real chance to chase their dreams. I also want to help put IVCC on the map. I take a lot of pride in helping that program grow.”