March 23, 2023

By Carter Smith

Centennial Sports Journalism

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Just as a diamond is created under pressure, Devereaux Harrison is a product of his environment.

Having played on a high school team that has won titles and a Long Beach State Program that has produced quality players like Troy Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria, Harrison understands what it takes to make it to the big leagues.

Playing against the best is a key.

“It was awesome, (I) was showing up to the yard every day and competing with the best players in college baseball,” said the Toronto Blue Jays prospect. “Seeing how everybody else does things, picking up on what somebody else does, but you may not do.”

Being in situations like playing for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team has taught him an important lesson.

“You learn something being around the best top guys,” said the young righty. “It was awesome, just being able to compete with them.

“I wasn't a big name out of high school, wasn't nationally ranked any of that. So just knowing that (I could) compete with (the best) and compete with them very well.”

Harrison only recently became a full-time pitcher after leaving Long Beach State and joining the Blue Jays organization. In his first year in the minors, Harrison had a 2.57 ERA with nine strikeouts and a save in five games and seven innings pitched for Class-A Dunedin. He was then promoted to the High-A Vancouver Canadians, where he had a 6.23 ERA to go along with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings in four games.

“I started pitching later in my high school career,” said the Long Beach State product. “I was always a position player first. I became a pitcher once I got drafted, so I hit throughout college.”

Despite not pitching until his latter days as a Vacaville Bulldog, Harrison had a game to remember early on.

“It was cool I didn't know I had a no-hitter,” said the pitcher. “We didn't celebrate it. I never really thought about it. It was cool.”

It is this team-first attitude that drives Harrison, it has never been the awards and accolades.

“It felt good, it's awesome. But we didn't achieve our goals that year, so that sucked,” said the reliever. “The team had a good year. We just didn't get where we wanted to be. So, all those awards, I mean, they're awesome, obviously. But I mean it comes team first.”

In terms of what’s next, Harrison plans on being a sponge.

“Keep getting better, keep learning. Keep getting better,” he said.

“There's only up from here.”