Justin Courtney of Bangor never gave up on his dream of being a professional pitcher.
He didn’t quit after undergoing Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery in 2018, pitching only 22 innings in 2019 as a senior at the University of Maine, then having no place to play last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Courtney’s perseverance and hard work have paid off in the form of a minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
“All I wanted was a chance to compete. I’ve got my foot in the door. Now it’s up to me. I’ll see how far I can take it,” said the 24-year-old former Bangor High School star.
Courtney, who received a signing bonus believed to be approximately $5,000, will attend the Angels’ minor-league training camp in Tempe, Arizona beginning April 1.
The ability to significantly improve the speed on his fastball was a critical component of having the chance to take the next step. That was made possible through the guidance of former major league pitcher Tom House.
Courtney contacted House to have his pitching mechanics analyzed and the pitching guru took him under his wing. Courtney regularly submitted videos for evaluation and they developed a relationship.
Despite never having been an exceptionally hard thrower, the suggested changes in mechanics eventually helped Courtney hit 98 mph on the radar gun. That landed him a tryout with the San Diego Padres and the shot with the Angels.
“The biggest shift was focusing more on [delivery] speed rather than arm strength,” Courtney said.
House is the co-founder of Mustard, the world’s first elite-level motion app that works with athletes who throw or swing, including pitchers and football quarterbacks.
House and former Stanford University pitcher Jordan Kutzer continued to monitor Courtney’s videos and tweak his mechanics.
“This young man is the poster child for the way Mustard is supposed to work,” House said.
The team made sure Courtney’s left foot hit the mound within a second of him lifting it to start his motion, which sped up his delivery and increased arm speed and velocity.
“It makes sure everything happens in the right sequence,” said Courtney, who also had been leaning slightly to his left when completing his follow-through, negatively impacting his pitch velocity and location.
“When you have all of your energy going to home plate, the ball comes out of your hand faster,” he said.
The changes helped the 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander hit 98 mph during a Jan. 22 session at Sluggers baseball and softball training facility in Brewer. That led House to invite Courtney to California for a three-day camp last week.
“It identified what you need to work on to reach your full potential. They did a lot of testing,” Courtney said. “There were major league pitchers and NFL quarterbacks there. It was pretty cool.”
Courtney received a tryout with San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller that didn’t go as well as he had hoped. He then received a call from Gene Watson, the special advisor to Angels general manager Perry Minasian, and was offered a contract.
Courtney had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and was ineffective when he returned to the UMaine team a year later. Undaunted, the former Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and Bangor three-sport standout last summer attended workouts with the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds but didn’t receive a contract offer.
He thought independent baseball would be the only avenue to prove he was capable of getting professional hitters out, but the COVID-19 pandemic canceled last season.
Instead, he tutored young pitchers in the Bangor area, staying in shape and throwing at Sluggers. He also was active on social media, including hosting his “Punch Out Pitching” podcast on YouTube.
Courtney, the son of Jeff and Debbie Courtney, is staying with family friends in the San Diego area. His workout routine consists of throwing in the morning and then spending an hour in the gym working on his endurance.
“I need to get used to being able to pitch three times a week and being able to bounce back quickly,” he said of making the transition from starter to reliever.
Courtney had a 5-6 record with a team-low 3.24 earned run average during his freshman year at UMaine in 2015. He earned All-America East second-team and All-Rookie honors.
Six years later, he is confident he can get pro hitters out and move up the minor-league ladder. He thinks he can hit 100 mph with his fastball, which has some natural sink to it, and said his curveball and change-up are also working well.
“I have the best arsenal of pitches I’ve ever had,” he said.
Courtney also appreciated the valuable advice he has received from Bangor native and former major league pitcher Matt Kinney, who is the baseball coach at Hermon High School.