Chris Chestnut
Callahan, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round last season, spent last summer with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, pitching only 8.66 innings in five games for a 1-0 record and a 5.19 ERA.
The Spinners are a step up from the GCL, averaging 4,547 fans per game in the New York-Penn League. The Spinners had over 3,000 in attendance for Monday’s opening game, when Lowell defeated the Connecticut Tigers 1-0 in nine innings.
Callahan spent the fall in Fort Myers, Florida, playing in the fall instructional league, but the right-hander had a setback in the offseason when he had surgery on his knee. While the Spinners began spring training in late February, Callahan remained in Fort Meyers doing rehab until last week.
But the former Wildcat says he was productive in his extended spring training. Callahan is expected to be focusing on his fastball during short-season play, but he also has a curve, slider, and change-up. Though Callahan’s fastball usually sits around 88-92, he can sometimes hit the mid-90’s.
Callahan is joined on the Spinners by Ty Buttrey, a right-handed pitcher who played with Callahan on the CGL Red Sox. Buttrey was Boston’s fourth-round draft pick last season. The Spinners have a large stable of pitchers, with Callahan the youngest of the bunch.
While the 18-year old is still adjusting, he says he’s more comfortable on the mound and is getting more comfortable handling life on his own off the field as well.
In Monday’s season opener, Jonathan Aro who picked up the pitching win for Lowell, with Sergio Gomez pitching five innings and Chris Carpenter pitching one. Callahan didn’t make an appearance on the mound, but says he is ready and eager to have his turn.
He’ll have plenty of chances as Lowell will take the field every night for the next three weeks. The Spinners were scheduled to face Connecticut again on Wednesday and will face the Tri-City Valleycats this weekend and the Vermont Lake Monsters next week.
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