Carl Adamec: Jimmy Titus' love affair with baseball taking a new turn

Aug. 18—MIDDLETOWN — Jimmy Titus loves baseball.

The 24-year-old has lived a dream through the game, from Little League star when he helped his hometown of Stafford to its first District 8 U-12 tournament championship, to high school standout at East Catholic where he became Connecticut's only two-time Gatorade Player of the Year, to a solid career at Bryant University and to being selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 22nd round of the 2019 Major League draft.

But love hurts, and not just from the pain from the injuries he's endured. It's been almost a year since his goal of reaching the majors was stymied when he was released by the Mets organization.

"It's kind of crazy," Titus said Tuesday. "I accepted it for what it was because I knew that I put in the work every single day and I did everything that I could so I don't feel like I left anything on the table. I don't have any ill feelings towards baseball or my journey. I loved it. It brought me to where I am now and I'm happy about that."

Titus was at Palmer Field Tuesday but could only cheer on his Vernon Orioles teammates due to a hamstring injury. The East Hartford Jets completed a run through the losers bracket to capture their third straight Greater Hartford Twilight League playoff title with a 5-4 win over the O's.

He might be the league's MVP after ranking No. 1 in average (.471) and home runs (4) and third in RBIs (18) so in some ways baseball is still in love with him. It's just his goals have changed in the last year.

"We've been playing together since we were six or seven years old," Orioles catcher and Stafford native Alex Hoss said. "He's a great teammate. He's hurt and he's still here. He's brought a new attitude to the team, a professional attitude that's nice to have."

Titus' professional career began well as he hit. 296 with six home runs, 23 RBIs, and 27 runs scored in 40 games with the Dodgers' rookie affiliate in Ogden, Utah in 2019.

But the 2020 minor-league season was canceled due to the pandemic. Instead of building on what he'd done in Ogden he was home and coaching the Manchester Eagles of the Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League alongside Stafford Little League teammate and Miami Marlins' prospect Josh Simpson.

"Obviously for everyone that's a big what-if, especially for guys in the minor leagues in my situation," Titus said.

"But what it was is that the Dodgers took a redshirt sophomore in the 22nd round hoping I could be a diamond in the rough. I did perform well that first year but to prove that it wasn't a fluke I needed the next year to do well and I didn't get that chance. Coming back in 2021 ... It just didn't work out."

He was traded to the Mets' organization on April 21, 2021 and played sparingly for their Class A affiliate St. Lucie in the Florida State League. In 38 games and 129 at-bats, he hit .233 with a home run, 17 RBIs, and 22 runs scored. On Aug. 10 he was assigned to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones of the South Atlantic League.

The promotion, though, proved to be a part of the fall. Over the next two weeks he played in four games and went 0-for-9 at the plate with five strikeouts.

"That whole season was the first time in my career I struggled, really," Titus said. "It was hard to get into rhythm not playing all of the time. But I was doing all right considering the circumstances.

"I started to heat up at St. Lucie, but when I got called up it was surprising to me. I also knew they had the draft a month earlier and they would be assigning guys to different spots. Some guys were put on the St. Lucie roster. I figured with the way I was playing in the limited time that I got, it was a matter of time that they'd put me on the phantom IL or release me. It's all a part of it."

On Aug. 26, Titus met with a player development official and was released.

"They brought me into the office after I didn't play in two games of a doubleheader and said, 'Hey, unfortunately we have guys that are healthy now and we don't have a spot for you anymore,' " Titus said. "There wasn't even a good luck or anything, just 'See ya.' Everyone always says that baseball is a business and I, someone who has played at different levels, can agree 100 percent.

"It was definitely the hardest time of my life. I've been though a lot of stuff. I loved the Dodgers organization and playing with some good friends. When I got released it was like, 'Well, now what?' This was something that I poured my entire life into, something I did every day because I loved to do it. But then there was an understanding that it may be time to move on."

Some teams did reach out to Titus' agent and Titus did try to reinvent himself as a pitcher, throwing 92 mph with his fastball. But an elbow injury brought an end to that.

So he moved on.

"I never lost the love for the game," Titus said. "But I wanted to be a big leaguer. I know it's a goal everyone has. I got to see hundreds of minor league guys that probably won't get there. It's a tough road. Once I saw my road would get tougher after my injuries, COVID, getting traded, it was probably not in the cards for me."

He decided to play the hand he was dealt.

Titus completed work on his bachelor's degree in applied economics at Bryant in the spring as a Dean's Scholar with a 3.4 grade-point average. He does private instruction and hitting lessons with high school and college players and is the hitting coordinator for the Connecticut Capitals program based in Hartford.

Where he'll be in five years he's not sure, but he's optimistic baseball will be part of his life.

"There are a lot of ways that I could go," Titus said. "Maybe at some point I'll keep grinding in the player development area and a major league team will give me a chance. Maybe a college job opens up. That would be cool for me but right now I'm working to carve my space out in the baseball world. I want to give back for everything I was given. I wasn't the most naturally talented kid. I had to work hard to get where I was. Maybe I can help someone like me."

But could there be one more comeback in his bones, perhaps?

"Never say never," Titus said with a smile. "But my body's gone through a lot in 24 years. I enjoy staying local and having fun."

True love never dies.

Carl Adamec is a Journal Inquirer staff writer.

For coverage of all sports in the JI's 18-town coverage area, plus updates on the UConn women's basketball team and head coach Geno Auriemma, follow Carl Adamec on Twitter: @CarlAdamec, Facebook: Carl Adamec, and Instagram: @CarlAdamec.