The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Long transitioned from slam dunks to slamming doors
The long and short of it was, Nolan Long had a decision to make in June, 2015: Continue his basketball career at Wagner College, or begin his professional baseball career.
Long, a 6foot10 righthander, chose baseball. Selected by the Dodgers in the 16th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, he signed a $100,000 bonus and reported to rookie ball in Arizona.
“The opportunity came,” Long said in a phone conversation last week, “and I thought it was the best fit at the time.”
Long, a former twosport standout at Waterford High, has been on a pretty good career trajectory ever since. He struggled a bit at two different stops in his first full season (mostly as a starter) as a pro in 2016, but has since moved to the bullpen and largely been effective — if sometimes running into the mechanical and control issues that tall pitchers often encounter.
Long, 25, has spent this entire season with DoubleA Tulsa, and it’s been a good one. Entering the weekend, Long was 40 with a 2.84 ERA out of the bullpen. He’s struck out 67 batters (and walked 32) in 50 2/3 innings pitched, and Texas League batters are hitting a mere .177 against him.
About a month ago, Long was inserted as the Drillers’ closer, and he’s shined in that role, notching four saves and posting a 1.98 ERA over his last 10 games.
“Right now,” Long said, “the [role] for me is to slam doors.”
From slam dunks to slamming doors, Long seems to have made the right decision four years ago.
“Things are going well,” he said. “I’m just out there trying to do a job, that’s really what it comes down to. Trying to simplify everything, and whenever they give me the ball, try to get outs.”
Smackdab in the middle of August, it’s that time of the season when players often move up a level if they’re performing well. With talk of some players at TripleA possibly ready to make the jump to “The Show,” spots could be opening up in Oklahoma City.
“You can’t really get too focused in on that,” Long warned, “because if I’m thinking I’m going to TripleA and I don’t, then I’m going to be all faulty and it’s gonna affect my performance here. If I make it to TripleA, good, and if I don’t, I’m just gonna finish strong here.”
Long was a New Haven Register AllState basketball player as a senior at Waterford High in 2012, averaging 14.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game while leading the Lancers to a Class M state title. He also posted a 0.88 ERA with a pair of nohitters on he mound, and was drafted in the 38th round by the San Francisco Giants.
But Long wasn’t ready for pro baseball yet, and instead played a year of prep basketball under Kelvin Jefferson at South Kent School. He averaged 10 points, eight boards and two blocks per game and earned a scholarship to Wagner. (No, he didn’t play for Dan Hurley — he had moved on to take over at Rhode Island two years earlier).
In two seasons at Wagner, Long didn’t play a whole lot, averaging 3.4 points and 3.1 rebounds. Though on a basketball scholarship, he continued to play baseball, where he was strong (76, 2.80 ERA over two seasons) and continued to attract the attention of major league scouts.
Drafteligible after his sophomore season (because of his year of prep ball), Long was picked by the Dodgers and hung up the hightops for good.
He’s now rising through the ranks of an organization known for its excellent farm system.
“The development aspect is secondtonone,” Long said. “They really take pride in developing their players. Each guy down the line, you don’t even have to be a firstrounder for them to care about you. If you’re a 35throunder, and they see something in you, they’re gonna try to develop you to be the best you can. It’s awesome to see. That’s why we have the best farm system, year after year, because they’re really focusing on every single player.”
Long was up and down between HighA Rancho Cucamonga and Tulsa last season and struggled (5.05 ERA) at the latter stop. Over the offseason, he decided to stop throwing his curveball and become a twopitch pitcher — fastball and slider. And while no one in Tulsa’s bullpen has truly defined roles, Long has essentially been the closer for the past few weeks, often notching multiinning saves. It’s something he could get used to.
“Absolutely,” he said. “If the opportunity presents itself, I definitely can do it. It’s just how you carry yourself. Anything that has to do with being on the mound, I can do it.”
Door slammed.
LANCERS ADVANCING
Other Waterford natives are pitching well at other stops. Michael Burrows, an 11thround draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2018 and Long’s offseason throwing partner, is 22 with a 3.54 ERA at Class A shortseason West Virginia.
Meanwhile, Tom Sutera, signed by Philadelphia last summer as an undrafted free agent, recently was promoted Class A shortseason Williamsport to ClassA Lakewood.