C’s Chat – 2023 Vancouver Canadians RHP #29 Pat Gallagher – C's Plus Baseball

The latest C’s Chat is with 2023 Vancouver Canadians pitcher Pat Gallagher.

The Leominster, Massachusetts native was a letterman in three sports at Leominster High School as he played basketball and football in addition to baseball. Gallagher piled up the strikeouts on the mound for the Blue Devils by whiffing 103 batters over 55 innings in 2018, sporting a perfect 10-0 record and a microscopic ERA of 0.51. He rung up 91 more batters in 51 innings in his 2019 senior season, winning six of eight decisions to go with a 1.40 ERA.

Gallagher would not stray too far from his Massachusetts roots as he went to the University of Connecticut. His 2020 freshman season at Storrs consisted of just nine relief innings but he did record his first college save before the season was cancelled due to the pandemic. It came when he struck out seven batters over three shutout innings against Presbyterian on March 7.

In 2021, Gallagher would join the Huskies rotation and got the honour of starting the inaugural game at Elliot Ballpark and got the win against Central Connecticut State University with nine strikeouts over five shutout stanzas. He would go 5-2 with a 4.44 ERA and strike out 61 batters over 52-2/3 innings to help UConn win the Big East Tournament and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Tournament.

The 2022 season saw Gallagher and the Huskies step it up a notch. The righthander was a workhorse in the UConn starting rotation by completing at least five innings in 15 of his 17 starts, logging 103 innings and striking out 100 batters while going 11-3 with a 3.41 ERA. Gallagher’s best work came down the stretch when he helped the Huskies knock off Creighton featuring 2023 Vancouver Canadians outfielder Alan Roden with seven innings of one-run ball on May 28, allowing UConn to advance to the Big East final and win the tournament title to go along with their regular season conference championship. In the College Park Regional, Gallagher put in seven innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts to get the win over Maryland on June 5. That was among the hurdles cleared by UConn to reach the Super Regional final where Gallagher gutted out 6-1/3 innings to get the victory against Stanford on June 11. Unfortunately for Gallagher, it was the Cardinal who downed UConn in the Super Regional final and denied the Huskies a chance to advance to the College World Series in Omaha.

A 2022 First Team All-Big East and All-Tournament selection, Gallagher was selected in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays on the advice of scout Pete Holmes and received a signing bonus of $125,000. A trip to Dunedin was next for Gallagher to join his fellow 2022 Blue Jays draftees for Draft Camp but he was shut down for the season after having pitched over 100 innings with UConn.

Gallagher’s pro debut was delayed until May 16 of this year due to a flexor strain in his right forearm. After a pair of multi-inning relief outings, Gallagher joined the Dunedin starting rotation in June and picked up his first professional win with five innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts at Bradenton on June 8. He won the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week award from July 3-9 by tossing a no-hitter for 6-1/3 innings, overcoming three walks with eight strikeouts against Tampa on July 7. He moved back to the bullpen on July 22 to make way for rehabbing Blue Jays reliever Chad Green who pitched a scoreless first frame against Lakeland. Gallagher followed with four goose eggs of his own with noe hits allowed and two walks along with another eight Ks to pick up the win in a mound matchup against Detroit Tigers 2022 first-round pick Jackson Jobe. A 63-16 strikeout-walk total in 52 innings and a 3.29 ERA with Dunedin led to a promotion to Vancouver on August 1.

In his C’s debut, Gallagher pitched 3-1/3 innings and yielded one run with strikeouts at Hillsboro on August 6. His lone appearance at Nat Bailey Stadium was a good one as he surrendered just one run over five innings and struck out four against Tri-City on August 13. The lone run was courtesy of a home run by his former UConn teammate Casey Dana. Gallagher’s next start would turn out to be his last as he completed three innings of a five-inning contest at Eugene on August 20 that was cut short by poor air quality due to nearby forest fires. He allowed just one run and struck out five as the C’s won for the second straight time he was on the mound.

Unfortunately, Gallagher fell ill and was placed on the seven-day injured list on August 26 and he ran out of time to recover and return to the squad. As a result, Gallagher found himself on the sidelines for the playoffs for the second time in his pro career. After missing out on Dunedin’s playoff run in 2022 due to an innings limit, he could only cheer on the C’s from home in Massachusetts as they won the 2023 Northwest League Championship. Here’s hoping Gallagher will get to throw his first postseason pitch in the Jays system sooner rather than later.

Finishing his Vancouver stint with a 2.73 ERA and a 12-2 K/BB total in 11-1/3 innings, the 23-year-old Gallagher chatted with C’s Plus Baseball in late November to talk about his first professional season on the bump. This interview has been edited for clarity.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Niall O'Donohoe (@csplusbaseball)

C’s Plus Baseball – You had a couple of stints on the injury list. Are you able to talk about what happened there?

Pat Gallagher – Yeah. So my first one was a little forearm flexor strain that I had started the year off with. It was nothing serious. I just had to do a little strengthening in my arm and my forearm. And then I was healthy in May and that’s when I started the season in Dunedin. And then at the end of the season, I got sick in Vancouver. By the time I got healthy again, I hadn’t thrown for a week. And there was about two, three weeks left in the season so there would have to be a buildup period. And I wouldn’t be ready to participate even in the playoffs so I was sent home after that. And it’s definitely stunk not being there, being with the team and being with the guys. Because they did a fantastic job this season and, you know, it was really cool being a part of that group and seeing them win the championship. Unfortunately, it was from my couch. But I’m hoping that this next season I can contribute even more. So I’m very excited.

CPB – I guess in a way you were kind of there in spirit. Ryan Jennings was wearing your number 29 for the final start.

PG – Absolutely. Yeah, that’s my buddy too so I’m glad he got the number.

CPB – Talk about when you were first drafted by the Blue Jays. Were you expecting that the Blue Jays were going to take you? What was your draft day experience like?

PG – Yeah, it was definitely a very exciting time. I had a feeling that I was going to be taken probably on day three. I was getting some phone calls on day two. But throughout the whole draft process, the Blue Jays definitely seemed the most interested. So that was a team that I was I was really wanting to be drafted by. And on day three of the draft, I actually had gotten to the draft show a little bit late. So then my phone started blowing up and everyone started texting me like congratulations. Like, ‘Dude, this is awesome. Like, congrats.’ And I’m like, ‘What? What? What just happened? Did I get drafted? Did this just happen?’ And then Pete Holmes called me and my agent called me and it all worked out perfectly. And I was so ecstatic and my family was super excited. And it was just a really great time. And I’m truly blessed to have been drafted by such a good organization.

CPB – You came to the Blue Jays from UConn and had a couple of really good playoff runs trying to get to the College World Series. Fell a bit short but you had some tremendous results, tremendous seasons with the Huskies. What was that whole experience like for you?

PG – Yeah, that was a really awesome experience, especially my junior year, making it to the Super Regionals against Stanford and falling just one game short of the College World Series. But that team was just phenomenal. And it was just a never-quit attitude with that UConn team. We were all brothers and we all expected to go out there and dominate every time we took the field. And there was no doubt about it. There was no doubt that if we were down, we were going to come back, we’re going to find a way to win. And it wasn’t always the prettiest way, but we always got the job done. And that definitely started on the mound for us. And then once the bats got going, it was no looking back from there. But, you know, all credit to the coaching staff over there, Coach Penders (Head Coach Jim Penders), Coach ‘Mac’ (Pitching coach Joshua MacDonald), Coach Hourigan (Associate Head Coach Jeff Hourigan), Coach ‘Dez’, (Volunteer Assistant Coach Chris Podeszwa). All those guys do a tremendous job over at UConn and they mold the players into not only being good college players, but in terms of their career and it was just an amazing experience. And it does stink that we fell a bit short, but it was really, really cool to be able to experience that and be in Stanford.

CPB – You got the honour of pitching the very first game for the Huskies at the new ballpark. How big an honour was that for you?

PG – I remember Coach Penders giving me a call after my freshman season, it got cut short because of COVID, and he called me and he told me that I was on the card to be the first pitcher at Elliot that season. And I think that in his heart, he wanted me to lead it off my sophomore year and be able to get that first start at Elliot and it was an honor. I’m very happy that we got to win that game because if I didn’t get to win that game, that’d be in the record books too and not on the good one. So it was awesome to be able to get a win and play a good ball game. And it was an honor that I don’t take for granted.

CPB – You racked up quite a few awards in 2022. First team All-Big East, All-Northeast Region. What was the key to your success?

PG – I really think learning the game a little bit more from the mound. I think when I was younger, I kind of was a robot on the mound and I kind of just, you know, whatever Coach Mac was calling. But truly knowing why I’m throwing a pitch and trusting in myself on the mound. I definitely had doubt in my freshman and sophomore year where I wasn’t confident in my skills on the mound and confident in my preparation. And I really honed in on getting the work done off the field and just trusting it when I got on the field and knowing that the main goal was to win ball games. And once the main goal was to win ball games for my brothers out there on the field, it changed the whole perspective of how I pitched. And it changed just from being about me to being about my team and doing the best I can so that my teammates can be successful.

CPB – Talk about how you first got started in baseball. Take us through the start of your career and what led you to UConn.

PG – Yeah. So I think I started playing baseball when I was about seven years old. I started straight into, we call it minor leagues over here, just little league baseball and I just fell in love with it. It was always my favourite sport. And my parents, I’m blessed that they gave me the ability to play other sports as well. And eventually baseball was the sport that really (was) where my heart was. I played basketball and football as well in high school. But then I stopped both of them going to my senior year. And I was like, ‘I’m going to play baseball. I’m going to play baseball.’ I stopped football my junior year and basketball my sophomore year after those years and just focused on baseball. And I remember the decision was pretty easy going to UConn. Honestly, I had some interest from other Northeast teams, but UConn made it blatantly obvious that they wanted me. And I knew what type of program they had based on a Legion game that I had one summer. And I was pitching in the rain. And I think there was about four or five, teams there. And then it started to downpour but we played through the game. I think it was around the fifth inning and Coach Penders was the last coach there. Every other coach left and he was drenched in rain and he was just standing behind home plate the whole time and he never left. He saw the whole game through and that’s really when I knew I want to play for this guy. I want to play for a guy who isn’t going to leave me when things get tough or isn’t going to stop. And I just knew his character from that moment and it was a pretty obvious choice for me.

CPB – After UConn, you get drafted by the Blue Jays. You go to their draft camp, but they decide not to pitch you until 2023. But what was that like getting your feet wet with that pro camp in Dunedin?

PG – Yeah, I was definitely excited, nervous. I was feeling all the emotions. Especially coming off a super regional and then moving on to a new team with new players and new experiences. But, you know, the guys that I was drafted with are all awesome dudes. They’re all really good baseball players and that’s what was awesome about getting to Vancouver is a lot of my draft class was there. Just being with such a talented group of guys was a blessing. It was just amazing. But yeah, it was a great experience being there at the facility. We have a beautiful, beautiful facility, one of the best in baseball. And pretty much we have everything that we need there. You know, I was able to get a lot stronger. And that’s what the plan is right now, just getting stronger and try to get a couple of ticks on the fastball. And really also just learning how to throw to hitters and how to get hitters off balance and what they’re expecting of me when I’m up there and how to get them out off of that and change eyesights and all this stuff. It’s been a really awesome learning experience and I’m continuing to learn each and every day.

CPB – What is it that you do throw right now? What is your pitch mix?

PG – Yeah, I have a four-seam fastball, which is usually the fastball that I’ll throw. I have a splitter. I have a slurve curveball so it’s more slurvy. I’m working on a cutter right now and I also have a two-seamer that kind of sinks a little bit, but I don’t throw that as much.

CPB – What would you say is your best off-speed pitch? You mentioned the splitter first. I’m assuming that might be it?

PG – Yes it is. You nailed it.

CPB – Has Kevin Gausman ever talked to you about it? Did you ever had a chance to approach him about throwing a splitter?

PG – No, I never got the chance to speak with him about it but it would be really awesome to pick his brain. He throws one of the best splitters in baseball and it’s awesome he’s part of the Blue Jays organization and it’s really fun watching him throw that pitch. But it’s definitely my favourite to throw. I feel like I could throw it at any count and I have ultimate confidence in that pitch.

CPB – Did anyone teach you the splitter or is that just something you developed by yourself?

PG – My high school pitching coach, Coach McCaughey (Steve McCaughey) at Leominster High School taught me a true splitter, legit like a forkball splitter and then over time, I adjusted it to be a little more comfortable in my hand, something that I had better feel with, but it all stemmed from him showing that pitch to me and it was really successful. Honestly, I didn’t have to throw that many in high school but that pitch has become definitely one of my favourite pitches. It’s one of the best weapons for me on the mound.

CPB – You mentioned it earlier, the Player Development Complex (in Dunedin). Has it helped you in any specific way? Did you learn something about yourself that maybe you didn’t know before or anything about your pitch characteristics?

PG – Oh, absolutely. I mean, we have a pitching lab in the facility. We have a bunch of coaches that are amazing and they help us in every aspect that we need for us in our career. I think one of the biggest things that I realized was my force into the ground was one thing that I can get better at, which is from overall strength and power in my lower half. That’s something that I had no idea (about) before. There are so many analytics and so many tools that I can continue to use and learn about myself, but that’s definitely one of the biggest things that I’ve found. And a lot of that stuff correlates to velocity as well. So, you know, increasing those things and overall strength could trend towards higher velocity on the fastball and other things like that, which will definitely help in the future.

CPB – You begin your season with Dunedin in 2023, getting your first pro win at Bradenton. What do you remember that game where you had eight strikeouts over five innings?

PG – (Pitching) Coach Riordan, Cory Riordan down there in Dunedin was a big part of that development throughout the season in Low-A. We were definitely grinding down there. There was always an aspect of getting better in the season, which I really liked there. It wasn’t really, you know, we’re here in Low-A and let’s just be content with where we are and just be happy with what we have. It was more of like, ‘Alright, this is what we’re good at. This is where you need to get better at. How about let’s start honing in on some of these things during the season, and then once it gets to the offseason, it’s kind of a smooth transition.’ That was kind of like the key focus there for me especially working on some of these things on the mound, you know, such as lower-half movements, moving a little quicker down the mound. Sometimes that can be tough pitching and thinking about it but it was really good for my development and it definitely helped in many, many aspects. And Corey’s also great at helping us learn about pitch design and what to throw to guys. So those two keys were huge. But more specifically, as you asked, in Bradenton, it’s just I always kind of black out in those situations and those games. It’s just like a state of flow that I’m in when I’m doing really well. It just feels like the ball’s coming out easy, my body’s moving easy, and I’m putting the ball, you know, anywhere I want to, you know? But the goal was never to go out there and get certain numbers or hit certain numbers. It was just about competing as hard as I could and just living with whatever the results. And I think the work that we put in throughout the week leading up to the starts was definitely helpful for those outcomes.

CPB – You wind up winning a Pitcher of the Week award on July 9th. How did you find out about it?

PG – I found out through social media on Instagram. The minor leagues account and I saw my name on it. And I was like, ‘What?’ I know I pitched good but you don’t really expect those things to happen. It’s just a testament to hard work and work ethic and putting in the hours. Not every week’s going to be good. Not every outing’s going to be good. But it’s nice to enjoy those moments throughout the season.

CPB – Another start I wanted to touch upon during your time in Dunedin. You had a game against Lakeland. You’re up against Jackson Jobe, the Tigers’ first-round pick for the first few innings anyway. What do you remember about that and did you really notice who was opposing you on the mound that night?

PG – I remember they put up videos of the pitchers that we were facing that day and I’d heard the name before. I know he’s a phenomenal pitcher and a phenomenal prospect for the Tigers. I just thought of it as another opportunity, you know, an opportunity to go out there and compete hard again. It is a battle between me and the batter, and sometimes people can think it’s a battle of the two pitchers. But I’m really competing with the guy in the box every pitch and it was just awesome to be able to share that stage with such a great pitcher, who I respect a lot.

CPB – You also had the chance to follow a major leaguer up on the mound. Chad Green was rehabbing with Dunedin at the time and then you followed up with four shutout innings. But what was that like coming into the game?

PG – I mean, I’m definitely not used to coming out of the bullpen. But I couldn’t complain when you got Chad Green out in front of me. First of all, Chad Green is just an awesome guy. He talks with us, and he’s open to communicating with us, even the Low-A guys. And it was really cool picking his brain and just seeing him compete as well. Seeing a big leaguer out there, I think, set the stage for the whole night for everybody. You know, that’s where we’re all trying to get is where Chad’s been and where he’s going in his career. And being able to see that in person and then follow him up is something that’s really cool. Obviously the goal is to get to the big leagues and to continue to develop. It felt like a little foreshadowing of maybe what’s to come in the future. And I’m really excited for Chad and the rest of his career here and you know, just to keep learning, man. It’s just awesome to meet such good, awesome big leaguers who are good people. It was definitely a little nerve-wracking because he’s such a good pitcher but I knew I just had to compete like usual and just be who I am on the mound.

CPB – Speaking of major league connections, George Springer is a former UConn Husky. Have you ever had a chance to chat with him?

PG – I haven’t had a chance to speak to him yet. But this spring training, I’m definitely going to make it a goal of mine to talk to him. But I believe we have another former UConn player who may have just gotten signed, Max McDowell (Editor’s Note – traded to Toronto for cash by Philadelphia on September 16) as a catcher who is an older UConn veteran. But, yeah, there’s been Anthony Kay, I’ve talked to him. I know he’s not in the org anymore but there’s definitely that UConn connection that makes you feel at home in this organization. And it’s really cool to see what he’s done. He’s had a phenomenal career so I’d definitely love to pick his brain sometime.

CPB – You got the promotion from Dunedin to Vancouver. How did you find out about it?

PG – I was working out. I think it was on a Monday and I was already at the TD Ballpark, our facility, just doing some conditioning. And (Dunedin manager) Donnie Murphy gives me a call and he tells me, ‘Hey, Pat. Pack your stuff up. You’re going to Vancouver.’ And I was like, ‘What? Sick. Like, let’s go.’ I was fired up. It was on an off day so I didn’t get to celebrate with my teammates but it was an awesome moment. I called my parents and let them know and they were ecstatic and super proud. I was just excited to hop into a squad and help them in any way I possibly could because they were already rolling and winning a lot of games. I just wanted to help them win more games in any way that I could. But it was a very, very exciting time.

CPB – You got to pitch in Hillsboro. What do you remember about your debut with the C’s that day?

PG – I just remember the atmosphere just being awesome. The dugout was awesome. The guys were super supportive. There was no judgment. And all the guys wanted me to succeed out there. There was nobody on the team that was like, ‘Oh, you know, I hope this happens or whatever, something bad.’ But they were all cheering me on. They were all giving me little things to look at, inning to inning. Especially after the game, a lot of guys talked to me and told me, ‘Hey, maybe try this.’ It was awesome just to be around a learning culture where guys are just trying to constantly get better and learn from each other’s mistakes, learning from each other’s successes. It definitely wasn’t my best outing but I was happy to get my feet wet and just to have that opportunity to be out there and to throw was really cool. It was a fun time for sure.

CPB – Well, we did get to see you pitch (at Vancouver) in your following start against Tri-City. Five innings, just one run allowed but that one run was because of your former (UConn) teammate Casey Dana. What do you remember about that start?

PG – Oh, man. That was a funny game. It just felt like another game where I was cruising. I was kind of just in that flow state and just competing hard. Having conviction with my pitches and missing pitches around the zone and having good misses and getting ahead in the count. I think that’s the biggest thing. That game I was getting ahead of guys, making them swing early. And if I get two strikes on them, being smart, where they can’t hit anything that good. But I do remember getting Casey Dana. I think I struck him out the first time (Editor’s Note – Confirmed!) and then he hit the home run the second time. I said a couple other words in my head but it was pretty funny. I shot him a text after the game and I was like, ‘Of course, you had to hit a home run off me, dude. It’s only right you hit it off me.’ And he was like, ‘Good job, dude.’ Like, I needed that or something like that. It was a funny moment that I’ll definitely remember. And I’m sure he will, too.

CPB – What was that like getting to pitch in Nat Bailey Stadium with a huge crowd? It seemed like you were able to adjust to it pretty well.

PG – Yeah, it was awesome. I hadn’t really experienced a fan base like that in a while. It’s honestly one-of-a-kind at Nat Bailey Stadium. It’s incredible the support from the fans and how much they love the Vancouver Canadiens. Our team wouldn’t have gone to where they did this season without the fans. Being on that mound, it was an honour. It was a privilege to pitch for all the fans out there. I’m glad I gave a good performance. We all get nervous and there’s a lot of fans in the stands. You look around, you kind of accept it for what it is and then you just compete. It’s the same game, there are just more people watching. But we love it when it’s sold out at Nat Bailey. It was an awesome experience.

CPB – Your final start, as it turned out, was in Eugene. That one ended in very strange circumstances with the forest fire smoke. What do you remember about that game? Were you surprised you guys actually managed to get in five innings that day?

PG – Yeah, I was surprised that we did stop it. I thought we maybe wouldn’t play the game. But that was kind of the week where I started feeling a little under the weather. I tried to grind out a start there and I’m not sure how many innings I went that game. I think it was another three innings. That’s definitely the goal for next year, you know, to extend those starts but I’m glad we got the win there. And it was definitely interesting because the whole week we were talking about the forest fires because I’m pretty sure when we first got there, the air quality was through the roof bad, you know? Those forest fires were brutal and that was kind of the talk of the weekend. And then we got some games in, which is good and ended off on another forest fire. So I guess it’s only right that it ended that way.

CPB – I know things weren’t going super great for the team towards the tail end of the regular season but you guys were able to get it going in the playoffs. You flip the switch when it counted. What were your thoughts on how the team was just able to just turn it around in the postseason?

PG – I think some of those growing pains through the end of the season, there were guys getting called up, new guys come joining the team for Vancouver. That’s an adjustment that everyone has to make throughout the season. That’s just something that’s going to happen. Knowing how to play with other teammates is definitely something that you have to adjust to and knowing what your identity is now as a team, because there are a lot of good players that had got called up from our team. We still had a bunch of awesome players, obviously, it’s a testament to us winning the championship, but definitely just knowing who we were as a team again and then just finding that rhythm again. And then once the momentum started flowing, you know, there was no stopping us into the playoffs. I’m not going to sit here and act like I played in the playoffs, but watching those guys pitch and watching those guys compete, it was awesome. And I was rooting for them every step of the way.

CPB – I don’t know about you, but watching Game 3, that 1-0 nailbiter. Was it nerve wracking for you watching that?

PG – Yeah, I mean, it’s super nerve-wracking because those are like your best friends out there. I got really close with all those guys. Those are your boys out there and you want to be there with them battling and just gritting it out. It was awesome to watch and it’s definitely nerve-wracking being a player and it’s also like it puts that little pain in your heart, like ‘Hey, I want to be out there with those guys and battling through this.’ Because that just makes your chemistry go even higher when you come out successfully in those situations.

CPB – Final question. Did you have a favourite major league growing up or a pitcher or player?

PG – Well, I am from Massachusetts, so I did grow up a Boston Red Sox fan but now I’m a Blue Jays fan. There wasn’t really ever a pitcher that I really tried to model my game after. I would say Max Scherzer was a guy who I love in the way that he competed on the mound. That was my favourite part about him and just the conviction with everything. Like every single pitch was like it mattered, whatever type of game it was, whether it was postseason, regular season, every pitch mattered, you know? He cared so much about that one pitch and then just every time just doing that and the amount of focus and intent and purpose that you have to have as a pitcher to do that. It’s not easy to do. And it’s something that I try to model my game after. It’s the next pitch mentality. Throw a bad one. ‘Alright, next one.’ What are we going to throw to this guy? What did he just see and how are we going to make an adjustment? And Max Scherzer is probably the one guy who, I just love the way that he competes up there.

Pat Gallagher File

Born – June 30, 2000 in Leominster, Massachusetts
Height/Weight – 6-foot-0, 196 pounds
Bats/Throws – Right/Right
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 42 with University of Connecticut in 2020-2022. Wore number 47 with Dunedin in 2023.
Instagram – @pgallagher10
Twitter – @pattygalls
The More You Know – Gallagher is the first UConn player drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays since righthander Mike Galati was taken in the 42nd round in 1996. Also of note, former NBA player Scott Burrell was drafted by the Blue Jays out of UConn in the fifth round of the 1990 draft.