As spring training wound down and the start of the regular season approached, Tom Walraven served as a ray of sunshine for Greg Tagert.
The RailCats’ manager grappled with decisions on final spots for his roster, but the rookie infielder was a player who did enough to earn one.
“Telling him he made it countered some of the bad stuff,” Tagert said of Walraven. “The good part — he genuinely was excited and surprised.
“I wasn’t sure about playing time, but I knew he could help us win games. It was good for our club and good for him.”
Walraven has continued supplying positive vibes for the RailCats.
Initially viewed as a role player who would do the little things to make a difference, he has emerged as a regular in the lineup. Several injuries have provided opportunities, and he has responded.
Walraven was batting .364 with four stolen bases, both team highs, entering Wednesday night’s game against Chicago. He carried a 10-game hit streak.
“I’ve been seeing the ball pretty well, taking a good amount of pitches and trying to work the count to get pitches I can handle,” Walraven said before the RailCats played the third game of the series against the Dogs. “It’s been working out.
“I’ve had a lot of guys on base, which makes it easier for me. If pitchers fall behind in the count, they have to come at me and it makes it easier because I know what’s coming. I just have to put the barrel on the ball.”
The 24-year-old Walraven, who’s from New York, has started games at third base and first. He also has played second.
“He came into camp and has been everything we could hope for,” Tagert said of Walraven. “You have a lot of hope for these college seniors, but you never know. But he’s been just sensational.”
Walraven came recommended by former RailCats infielder Ryan Brockett, who primarily played shortstop from 2013 to 2015. Both played collegiately at New Haven, with Walraven’s first season the one after Brockett graduated.
Brockett went on to become an assistant coach at Le Moyne, in the same conference as New Haven, so he saw the 5-foot-9 Walraven play for two additional seasons.
“He’s almost a spitting image of Ryan Brockett — same school, same body, same type of hitter,” Tagert said of Walraven. “He’s probably not as quick, but he maybe has a little more power.
“Both guys have versatility, they positionally can do some things on the field, do things exceptionally well with the glove.”
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Walraven comes from an athletic family.
His father, Tom, played at Manhattan and is a longtime coach. His brother, Mike, played at Iona and Hofstra. And his twin sisters, Andrianna and Kristina, played softball at Albany and Manhattan, respectively.
“We’ve all played and I saw them, so obviously I gravitated toward what they were doing,” Tom said. “That’s where I fell in love with the game.”
He added: “I can’t take away from my mom (Nia) — she’s a tennis player. She’s athletic too. And she’s the brains of the operation.”