Stratton back with Pirates and still living the dream

Hunter Stratton grew up with a favorite team and a baseball dream. "Definitely Atlanta," he said. "I wanted to be Chipper Jones growing up playing the hot corner, but I got stuck over there at first base in middle school and never saw third base again." Pitching, however, was Stratton's path to professional baseball. A former standout at Sullivan East and Walters State, Stratton's father and grandfather pitched at King University, and his uncle toed the rubber at Appalachian State. "I was always a pitcher, I always loved pitching. It was just part of the family. They taught me everything I knew until I got to high school," said Stratton, who developed under Mike Breuninger and Logan Bowers at Sullivan East. "Just to play the game, just to love the game. "I am in a crazy career. I am playing a kid's game at almost 30 years old so just play the game, play the game hard and leave it all out there." Stratton, who played at Walters State under coaches Chris Shelton and Sean Robinson, built a relationship with Jerry Jordan, an area scout for Pittsburgh, which selected him in the 16th round of the 2017 Major League Amateur Draft. His professional career began with the Bristol Pirates in the Appalachian League. "That was a trip. Funny enough I had my phone background set to PNC Park while I was in high school because I always thought that was the coolest looking park," Stratton said. "Then I went to Walters and I met Jerry Jordan, had a great relationship with him, he is a great guy. "I thought it would be pretty cool to get drafted by the Pirates and come back home and play in Bristol for a year. Sure enough it happened." Stratton spent seven seasons toiling in the minor leagues, reaching the Triple-A Indians on three occasions, while his wife, Lakyn, continued to encourage him forward. "People always talk about the good things, but there is a lot of hardship, you go through a lot and you learn a lot. I am living the dream, that is just part of it, I love it," he said. "I have got to say thanks to my wife. She supported us before I made my debut and now we have a 27-month-old and one on the way and life is great." The 6-foot-4, hard-throwing Stratton finally got the call in 2023, working two scoreless innings in his debut for the Pirates against the Milwaukee Brewers in Pittsburgh. "I will never forget that, especially going into PNC Park," he said. "It is one of the most picturesque parks, it is my favorite park of all. Definitely my debut." Another dream was realized last July when Stratton was traded from the Pirates to the Atlanta Braves, one month before the Speedway Classic was held at Bristol Motor Speedway. "That was a dream," said Stratton, who wasn't on the roster for the rain-plagued Speedway Classic. "I wanted to wear a Braves uniform for a long time and being able to meet Chipper and bounce a couple of things off of him, that was so surreal. Putting on that uniform and going out there and performing well, I left Atlanta a happy man." Stratton pitched in 12 games last year for Atlanta, and got in one game this season while working in 21 games at Triple-A Gwinnett before getting traded back to Pittsburgh on June 18. "I was surprised," he said. "I didn't expect Pittsburgh to pick me back up, but I am so happy to be back. There is just so much more opportunity over here with Pittsburgh… "I believe I left (Pittsburgh) on great terms, I have a great relationship with a lot of people in this organization. It just feels like home, I love these guys." Stratton has worked a pair of two-game stints for Triple-A Indianapolis, with hopes to getting a call back to Pittsburgh. He is 3-2 with two saves, 68 strikeouts and a 3.75 ERA in 60 games at the Major League level with the Pirates and Braves. "I am down here in Triple-A right now, checking a couple of boxes, just did a back-to-back and feeling really good," said Stratton, who recalled telling his fourth grade teacher that he was "going to do it" in terms of getting to the big leagues. "Hopefully I will join the team up there in Pittsburgh soon and help them out in any way I can." While Stratton is anxious to get back to Pittsburgh, his job now is to help Indianapolis get in the win column, having struck out seven and picked up a save in four appearances for the Indians. "Just make the most of it every day," said Stratton, who was a starting pitcher for three seasons before the Pirates thought his velocity and breaking pitches would translate to the bullpen. "If you are here you might as well enjoy it and not try to be a bummer around any teammates and just uplift them. Being a good teammate." Stratton knows what it takes to get back to Pittsburgh. He has been there before. "You are not ever happy unless you are at the top. The plan is to go up there, perform and you have got to check a lot of boxes up there," said Stratton, who's mother, Janice, still lives in Bristol. "You have got to perform, when they put you in any situation you have got to perform. "They are making the decisions and you can hope for it, but there is no plan to be a closer, just do the best you can." Don't expect that plan to change, with Stratton determined to continue living the dream. "As long as I can. I am going to ride this until the wheels fall off," he said. "It is definitely a grind, you have just got to keep your body in check and keep your head on straight. It is a great life."