Q & A with Blue Jays pitching prospect Jordan Romano

Jordan Romano is a Canadian RHP prospect for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was drafted in the 10th round of the 2014 MLB draft out of Oral Roberts University.

I’d like to start by congratulating you on being invited to play for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

"“Thank you! I’m really excited to represent Italy because that is where my father and grandparents were born. Very humbled to be chosen for such a talented team. I’m looking forward to competing against such great competition.”"

2. How did you feel when you heard your name called in the 2014 draft by your hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays?

"“It was honestly a dream come true. Ever since I was a little kid all I ever wanted to do was play for the blue Jays. I grew up watching all their games so it was awesome I could be part of the organization.”"

3. You got off to such a great start in professional baseball, but it went on hold to undergo Tommy John surgery.  What was the recovery process like, and what have you learned from that experience?

"“Learning I had to have TJ was a pretty terrible feeling. Rehab was very long and tedious. However  I had a lot of great people to work with and they made it as smooth as possible. You definitely learn to appreciate the game more when you’re on the sidelines hurt. I’ve learned you can’t take a day playing this game for granted because things can change very quickly.”"

4. After the Tommy John surgery, you returned to baseball pitching for the Lansing Lugnuts and put up terrific numbers as you went 3-2 with a 2.11 ERA in 72.2 innings pitched.  How did it feel to be back on a pitcher’s mound, and put up such great numbers right away?

"“There was no better feeling when I was back on the mound competing after such a long rehab process. I was very prepared when I went up to Lansing. I had a whole year to learn more about my game and get my body physically ready to compete. Also I worked with great coaches down here in Florida and up in Lansing that helped me a lot.” More from Toronto Blue Jays ProspectsOne prospect the Blue Jays should not have traded at the deadlineBlue Jays: Can expanded rosters provide positivity?Blue Jays: 2022 Tournament 12 returns as Canadian Futures ShowcaseBlue Jays: Top Pitching Prospect Tiedemann Impresses in AA DebutBlue Jays 2022 Draft: Who did Toronto Land in Round Two?"

5. Who would you say has been your biggest influence in your baseball career?

"“I’ve worked with a lot of great coaches and had a lot of great teammates over the years but I would have to say the people that had the biggest influence on my career are my parents and my brother. My brother was a pitcher as well and growing up he taught me how to throw certain pitches and I still talk to him all the time about how to improve my game. My parents sacrificed a lot for me to play growing up and to see how hard they worked supporting our family made me want to work as hard as I could in baseball.”"

6. As a kid, what player did you look up to, and who would you compare yourself to in the MLB today?

"“Roy Halladay was definitely the guy I always looked up to. He was the blue Jays ace when I was growing up and he was my favorite pitcher.  I would like to compare myself to Aaron Sanchez. We have a different skill set on the mound but I’ve personally seen how hard he works and I try to model my work ethic after his.”"

7.What would you say has been your biggest highlight in professional baseball so far?

"“I feel like my first start in Lansing after rehabbing the whole year was a great feeling. That’s probably my most memorable highlight.”"

8. What would you say is your goal for the upcoming baseball season?

"“My goal is to be as consistent as possible whenever I pitch and to have a good and healthy season.”"

9.What would it mean to you to have the word “Toronto” across your chest, pitching for the Blue Jays in the future?

"“It’s tough to put into words because that’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid. I’ve been working almost my whole life to accomplish that goal.”Next: Welcome to Dunedin – A guide to the Jays Spring home"

10. A year from now, where do you see yourself when it comes to your baseball career?

"“A year from now I hope I’ll have a good enough season that I can be selected for big league camp. That’s my goal to start off next year.”"