BUFFALO, N.Y. — The dream of any baseball player is to get drafted to MLB.
Jackson Strong is no exception.
“You write it on your thing in kindergarten, what do you want to be when you grow up? You want to be a baseball player," Strong said.
It's a dream that came true for Strong, who is Buffalo born and raised.
From West Seneca East High School, to Canisius University, his baseball journey continues now with the Detroit Tigers organization after being picked in the seventh round of this year’s draft with the 206th overall pick.
“It was just cool to see and kind of a full circle moment when it actually did happen," Strong said. "It was kind of surreal at first, but once I kind of got my head around it, I was like, wow, this is really happening.”
Strong is turning pro on the back of a standout career at Canisius. A two-time, all-conference selection, he's tied for the school record for career stolen bases, and now is the second highest draft pick in school history after Matt Duffy, who went in the fourth round last year to the Red Sox.
“It’s one thing to hear your name get called but it’s one thing to put that pen to paper, and knowing that’s actually going to be your career for however long," Strong said. "I’m excited to get down there and truly soak it all in and just be a part of it.”
One source of inspiration for Strong on this journey has been his mom, Kelly. A local elementary school teacher, she recently overcame a battle with cancer, making the moment he shared with her on draft night, that much more special.
“Everything she went through in the fall, that was one of the toughest things I’ve had to go through from a bystander point of view," Strong said. "Can’t really do much watching her, but it was great just to see her be so positive and battle through it all. That was a lot of my motivation going into this year was doing that for her.
"She wasn’t able to come to as many games as she wanted to because she was doing treatment all the time. It was just good to know that she was behind me, and doing stuff for her was one of the biggest reasons I had success this year.”
Now cancer free, Jackson hopes his mom is able to come down to Florida to catch some instructional league games as he gets his career going.
A career he hopes, helps inspire other ball players from Western New York.
“So many good people in this area, growing up around me, playing Little League in this area and playing college ball here too, it’s been great," Strong said. "Just the people that got me here, I’ll never forget them and all the people that have helped me get to this point, it’s been huge.
"This area, not a hot bed for baseball as they say, but it’s good to kind of put it on the map that Western New York baseball is not to be messed with. Couldn’t be more thankful for the coaches and teammates that have gotten me to this point.”
Jackson Strong, the next hometown kid embarking on his journey to the majors.