Jul. 20—Earlier this summer, Jordan Fitzpatrick attended a baseball showcase in Tampa Bay, Florida, with hopes of landing a professional contract.

And Fitzpatrick left Tampa having made enough of an impression to raise eyebrows.

"There were a couple of guys that had connections with independent ball," Fitzpatrick said. "They really liked me there and they said 'Hey, give us some time. It may take a little bit. But we're going to try and help you out.' About a week later, I got a phone call and they said to expect a phone call from Grand Junction (Colorado) tomorrow. They called and off I went."

A former Missouri Southern standout, Fitzpatrick signed a pro contract with the Grand Junction Rockies on July 11 — an organization part of the Pioneer League — that serves as a partner of Major League Baseball.

Fitzpatrick was thrust right into action as he knocked out a number of firsts in his pro debut on July 13. The right fielder collected his first hit and drove in his first run (RBI single) and scored a run.

On Sunday, Fitzpatrick put together his best game yet. The right hitter went a perfect 3 for 3 with one RBI as he's now amassed four hits through his first 11 at-bats (.364 average) so far in pro ball.

"It's definitely been different from school ball," Fitzpatrick said. "But I'm really enjoying it. When you have a passion that's great for something, it's pretty cool to make it a full-time thing."

Prior to his debut, Fitzpatrick went over two full months from facing live pitching.

"The first couple of games were a little bit of an adjustment," Fitzpatrick said. "Obviously, you can do everything you can to replicate live pitching but it's hard when you are not actually seeing it. I got those first few ABs in and I tried to start getting into a groove again. Obviously on Sunday, I start feeling a little better.

"I tried to stay in the weight room as much as I could. Whoever was in town at Southern, some of my teammates would come and hit with me and play catch. I'm pretty thankful to those guys for helping keep me in shape, keep me ready to go."

A Rogersville product, Fitzpatrick transferred to MSSU from Division I Missouri State after the 2019 campaign. He proved to be one of the top hitters in the MIAA as he finished his career as a two-time all-league selection in 2021 and 2022.

He also earned all-region honors in 2021 when he slashed an impressive .369/.422/.722 with 14 home runs and 48 driven in.

Fitzpatrick said his tenure with the Lions was a memorable one.

"I'm incredibly thankful for my time at Southern," Fitzpatrick said. "I always will be. It was an amazing three years there. I enjoyed every minute I had there. It's really helped get me to the next level being able to play every single day and having that trust from coach (Bryce) Darnell and coach (Nick) Tuck to put me in the lineup. They let me do my thing and let me show everybody what I could do."

Grand Junction (26-22) fell short of winning the PBL South as it trailed league-leading Ogden Raptors (29-19) by three games in the first half.

Fitzpatrick aims to get the Rockies over the top as they start second half play on Tuesday night.

"The winner of each half of the season gets into the playoffs," Fitzpatrick said. "I know we're really hoping to make a run and get that next playoff spot in the second half. I want to help out as much as I possibly can — even if I'm not an everyday guy."

Perhaps Fitzpatrick's next step will see him in affiliated ball one day.

"Obviously, that would be wonderful," he said. "I would love to do that, but for right now, I'm focusing on helping out my team here and doing everything I can. If something does come about, then that's awesome."