Photograph: Gage Bihm prepares to sign a professional baseball contract on Saturday. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
It’s not often that two life-changing decisions for a 21-year old occur within a matter of hours.
However that was the difficult but unique situation Gage Bihm faced Friday morning as he considered lucrative opportunities in a sport he has always loved.
Should he sign a major league baseball contract offer? Or perhaps he might play a college season longer and accept a full-ride scholarship at the University of Oklahoma.
After receiving his two surprise opportunities, the former Opelousas Catholic School ended the drama and chose to follow the dream.
Bihm was dressed for reality in a New York Mets jersey Saturday afternoon, surrounded in his Washington-area home by family, friends and former high school coach Justin Boyd.
There won’t be much time to savor his choice, as Bihm is scheduled to leave Monday for the Mets’ Rookie League training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Signing a professional baseball contract on Saturday helped mitigate the disappointment Bihm said he felt after not being drafted by any of the major league teams several weeks ago.
Bihm, a left-handed pitcher who is 6-foot-4 and throws in the mid-90’s, thinks that reporting to the Mets as a free agent has risks, but there’s also an upside to consider, he said.
Since they drafted 15 pitchers among their 23 selections, the Mets’ organization Bihm acknowledges, apparently covets young pitchers, especially left-handers.
“They (Mets) are lacking left-handers right now. They told me they like my stuff. They had been looking at my spin on the off-speed (pitches) and they told me they were interested,” Bihm added.
After playing two seasons at Hinds Community College and pitching in 2023 for LSU-Shreveport, Bihm said he’s prepared for the next step, which will be enhanced by the effectiveness of his curveball.
“I’m prepared to keep my development moving forward and learning more about pitching. I know I’m going to get the greatest advice available. All along I hope that I continue maturing, while going through the process,” Bihm said.
Bihm admitted that it was hard refusing an Oklahoma baseball scholarship that was presented to him only hours before the Mets made contact with him and his advisor and consultant, James Covington.
“Right now that really stings. I had worked hard to get to that point. All in all what happened (on Friday) was a win-win,” Bihm concluded.
At LSUS this year, Bihm was 3-1 with a 1.80 earned run average in 25 games. He pitched 40 innings, struck out 59 batters and walked 19.
“I worked out (for major league teams) after the season. I thought that this was my season. I had the college offer and then the Mets put the contract on the table. In the end things went my way,” Bihm said.
Bihm will participate in games and workouts until September. After that the Mets will probably designate what level Bihm will play in their minor league organization.
Boyd said that he likes the way Bihm has continued to develop and improve after leaving OCS.
“This was something that Gage was hoping to do for a long time. I think last year, he figured things out. Over the years he has really matured and become more focused. I think what the scouts like most is his curveball. What is happening for him shows what can be accomplished if you work hard for it,” said Boyd.
