Home base: JC Santini keeps chasing the game he loves

For most players in independent baseball, the dream is still the same: Catch the eye of a major-league organization and earn a shot at the big leagues, but for former Woodcreek standout JC Santini, he's found just as much purpose in the journey. Santini, now with the Boise Hawks of the Pioneer League, was in familiar territory, having played in Marysville before with the Gold Sox and spent time with the Lincoln Potters. During his independent ball journey, he has played in small towns across the country, from West Virginia and Pennsylvania to our neighbors up north in Quebec City. After spending two seasons in the Frontier League with the Washington Wild Things, he was looking for a new opportunity and a change of scenery, leading him to Idaho. "My wife and I always talked about the mountain west, places like Idaho, Colorado, Utah, where you get all four seasons and can be outdoors," Santini said. "So the Pioneer League was the perfect way to do both baseball and explore the area." His old manager in Washington connected him with Hawks skipper Kash Beauchamp, opening the door to bring Santini closer to home. Last week, Santini returned home as the Hawks played the Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers in Marysville. During his homecoming, Santini collected two hits, an RBI and a double, and was treated to some home-cooked meals and familiar faces as he got to stay with his family in Roseville. Santini said he was eager to return to the area and that after playing all around the country, he has a new appreciation for home. "Having been in a lot of cities and towns that are just standard American cities and places that people are living their lives and doing their thing, I appreciate how nice it is here in a lot of ways," said Santini. "We still have a view of the Sierras, proximity to so many great things, I would say I certainly took that for granted when I was in high school, but I don't anymore." Santini, 27, has been one of the Pioneer League's premier catchers, catching 17 runners stealing in 53 games. He has also found himself in the middle of baseball's ongoing experiment with new rules. The Pioneer League is one of several independent circuits Major League Baseball has used as a testing ground, most notably for the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system. "This was my first year with the challenge system, and honestly, I really like it," Santini said. "It doesn't slow the game down much, and it adds a little bit of fun for the fans. We've kind of agreed on our team for the most part to just allow the catchers to handle it." That leadership behind the plate is something his teammates rely on, and it reflects Santini's approach to the game as a whole. Santini was a standout at Saint Mary's and Northwestern in college and says he's driven to keep playing by his love of the game and his platform to impact people. "With my faith, I've always tried to view the baseball field as a mission field," Santini said. "I want to be a good servant to my teammates and bring a positive light into their world. Baseball's given me the chance to do that while seeing parts of the country I never would have otherwise." That includes memorable stops during his career, such as playing under former big leaguer Jedd Gyorko in West Virginia's MLB Draft League or spending a series in Quebec City with French-speaking broadcasts and European-style flair. Santini says one of his favorite parts of the job is connecting with kids around the country and hopes to ignite the same love of baseball in them as he has. Said Santini, "Giving a kid a broken bat or a signed ball and seeing their face light up, that's tough to beat. I don't think anybody's going to come up asking me for an autograph if I'm working some business job."