FARMINGTON - There was no camping out in the valley when Farmington pitcher Tyler Gregg learned he needed Tommy Johns' Surgery as a 16-year-old, only a resolve to overcome.
Despite the initial shock which came during his sophomore baseball season, Gregg said, "No pitcher ever wants to hear that he needs Tommy Johns' Surgery," the phrase "career-ending surgery" never entered his vocabulary or thought processes.
"I was pretty down when I first got it (the diagnosis), cause I was so young," Gregg said.
Farmington baseball coach Jay Harper applauded Gregg's successful comeback from Tommy Johns' surgery in November, 2014 to become a top prospect, so much so that the senior hurler signed a national letter of intent to play college baseball for Crowder College, of Neosho, Mo. on Nov. 18 at Farmington's in-door baseball facility.
"Tyler came into the program as a ninth-grader and showed a lot of promise," Harper said. "He has overcome Tommy Johns' Surgery. For those of you, who don't know what that is - Tommy John's Surgery is the worst nightmare for a pitcher in our sport. He worked as hard as he could, he's rehabiliated as hard as he could. He's come back better than ever."
Twelve months into rehab, Tyler went to Texas and threw in the 90 m.p.h. range drawing attention as a prospect. Gregg is a right-handed pitcher, who also plays shortstop with a 6-0, 205-pound frame. Scouting reports online like his strong and mature athletic build, and fast-paced delivery. According to perfectgame.org, Gregg throws a steady fastball in the high 80-mile-per-hour range and has reached 90 m.p.h. frequently in the first inning. Gregg has good lower-body strength, which he uses well in pitching with good mechanics and considered a very good arm, and is expected to improve as he learns to be more of a pitcher and less of a thrower.
None of that happened by accident. Gregg's perspective changed because of the injury, as did his career goals.
"Tommy Johns' Surgery made me look at the game a different way, I'm a lot more grateful now," Gregg said. "I'm blessed to be able to overcome something like that. Before I just went out there and played the game of baseball. Now, I know it can be taken away from me in just one pitch. I try to be a better leader than I ever have been."
Gregg plans to pursue a degree in Kinesiology and become a physical therapist. His experience made him want to help other people address physical issues.
"Going through rehab is the reason I wanted to become a physical therapist," Gregg said. "Tommy Johns' Surgery is a blessing in disguise, that's what I like to call it."
Gregg credits his trainer, Jeremy Braziel, of the Arkansas Shoulder Center, with playing a key role in his rehab.
"He was with me every day, he was the guy who was there when I was going through rehab," Gregg said.
There were moments of weakness when Gregg questioned progress early in the process when he could barely straighten his arm, but he kept climbing his way back up the mountain.
"I didn't stay down in the valley too long," Gregg said. "That doesn't do any good. You might as well work your way out of it. There's no need to pout about it."
Gregg felt the support of his family, teammates, coaches and many others from Farmington cheering on his recovery each step of the journey.
"My whole community was there for me," Gregg said. "My family and friends were a big influence, telling me to keep going."
Sports on 11/30/2016