Milligan College, Tenn. (June 17, 2010) --- Former Milligan College pitcher Mike Gallo (Peabody, Mass.) has achieved the opportunity to pursue his dream of playing in the major leagues as he has signed a contract with Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals.
"It is an unbelievable feeling," Gallo said. "It is like I am dreaming everyday when I walk into the locker room and see the Nationals logos everywhere and I see players like Chien-Ming Wang and Jordan Zimmermann rehabbing. It is just unbelievable."
Gallo was on the way to Fort Myers, Fla., for a tryout with the Minnesota Twins when he received the call from the Nationals while he was sitting in the Charlotte, N.C., airport.
"It was a shock honestly," Gallo said. "They offered me a contract right there over the phone. It was a dream come true."
After being offered over the phone, Gallo reported to Washington's spring training headquarters in Melbourne, Fla., to sign the contract and get started on his major league dream.
Gallo is currently playing in the Gulf Coast League with the Nationals' rookie organization in Orlando as part of an extended spring. The next stop for Gallo is Washington's short season A club, the Vermont Lake Monsters. The Lake Monsters is Gallo's next goal as he hopes to be there in a couple of weeks, and it would serve as a homecoming of sorts for Gallo as the Lake Monsters play a team 45 minutes from his hometown.
"It would be unbelievable," Gallo said."It would let all my friends, family and those who believed in me and supported me would be able to witness my dream coming true."
On the mound this season for the Buffs, Gallo pitched in 22 games and ended the year with an ERA of 2.70 and a 2-1 record. He credits his time at Milligan with helping him achieve his dream.
"Just to represent Milligan as a pro athlete, there isn't anywhere else I would want to have as my alma mater," Gallo said. "I've learned so much during my time there, and everyone helped me accomplish my dream. Milligan College has definitely gotten me where I need to be."
