Northridge graduate proves he's got the right stuff after all

Tycen PoVey's sparkling college resume filled with lofty batting averages, impressive fielding percentages and All-American plaudits didn't go unnoticed in the professional baseball ranks. They just went unacted upon.

Until last week.

PoVey, who hit .423 with team-bests in homers (5), hits (63) and RBIs (40) at Bethany College this past season as a catcher/pitcher, was led to believe — for the third time in his college career — he was a sure-fire draft pick.

He wouldn't believe it until it happened, however.

"I had been told that before, so I'm going to have a Plan B this year," he said.

And what was Plan B?

After going undrafted two weeks ago, he sent his resume to various organizations — including the Orem Owlz and Ogden Raptors — in hopes of getting a free-agent tryout, and it worked.

His resume caught the attention of Dave Baggott, president of the Raptors, and he telephoned the Los Angeles Dodgers making the request for a tryout for PoVey.

PoVey was granted a one-day tryout.

One day.

"I tried out for one day, and I turned some heads," he said.

That one-day tryout then turned into a five-day tryout.

"They flew their guy out and he watched me for the week, and at the end of the week they signed me," he said.

PoVey, who graduated from Northridge High in 2001, signed Friday morning, which was actually the morning of his fourth tryout day.

PoVey suited up Tuesday night in the Pioneer League season-opener in Orem to complete the circle and put to rest the notion of friends, coaches and teammates that he would never make it into professional baseball.

"There is a part of me that wants to look at those people and grin, but at the same time I know there is a lot of work to be done to get where I want to be," he said.

At Porterville College in 2001 he was told by coaches he wouldn't make it as a college player.

After serving an LDS mission to Nashville, Tenn., he transferred to Diablo Valley College and ran into the same opposition, but again he let his game do the talking.

In 2005 at Bellevue College he was told the same thing, but he went on to hit .387 with 11 doubles, three triples, eight homers, 51 RBIs.

Hoping for a more positive dugout, he transferred to Bethany College (Kansas) a rival of Bellevue College, but there too he found the same negativity and more.

Just weeks into the season he blew out his elbow while pitching. He underwent Tommy John surgery to replace the torn ligament, and that was the first time he ever questioned his abilities.