Chukars’ ‘franchise player’ cherishes his time in Idaho Falls and would love to hoist the PBL trophy before leaving

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Chukars are 1 of nan 12 teams that dress up nan Pioneer Baseball League.

The PBL, an independent convention pinch teams successful Idaho, Montana, California, Colorado and Utah, operates nether galore of nan aforesaid rules arsenic Major League Baseball, including implementing a transportation timepiece this season.

But 1 norm is drastically different from thing nan Major Leagues has ever moreover considered. By rule, players who person 4 years of master shot acquisition are not allowed to play successful nan PBL.

The Chukars’ “franchise player,” arsenic they are called, is Tyler Wyatt, nan squad leader successful stolen bases (15) and first-half convention All-Star.

Wyatt grew up successful Glendale, Arizona and played his assemblage shot astatine Grand Canyon University. In 2019, he was drafted by nan San Francisco Giants successful nan 31sth information of nan first-year players draft. After spending parts of 2 seasons successful nan Giants workplace system, including a 13-game stint pinch nan San Jose Giants, Wyatt was released successful 2021.

Later nan aforesaid season, he signed pinch nan Chukars. The travel that took him from Arizona to California and Idaho, Wyatt said, was “very tough, very difficult” but thing he will ever cherish.

“It’s been a beautiful absorbing journey,” he told EastdahoNews.com. “The draught was awesome. That was a surreal acquisition — thing that I tin bent my chapeau connected for nan remainder of my life. It’s thing that doesn’t hap to a batch of people, truthful it’s thing that I’m very grateful for.”

Jacob Jablonski congratulates Wyatt connected his July 25 location run. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Over nan past 4 years, Wyatt has collected hits, homers and memories pinch nan Chukars. And he has grown substantially, some arsenic a man and a ballplayer. That growth, he believes, makes him much prepared for life arsenic a master shot subordinate than he was while he was playing affiliated shot successful nan Giants organization.

“There’s a batch of things that I did connected nan section that astir apt sewage frowned upon and looked astatine a small otherwise — looked astatine weird,” Wyatt said. “I had to turn up and I couldn’t person done it without (Chukars pitching coach) Bob (Milacki) — I couldn’t person done it without nan coaches and teammates that I’ve had.”

Asked if his maturation has made him a amended player, much apt to win successful affiliated ball, Wyatt was speedy to opportunity it has.

“Absolutely,” he said. “One-thousand percent. I consciousness for illustration I cognize really to transportation myself a small spot more.”

Wyatt has ever been a awesome ballplayer — that’s why he was drafted. But he now sees really he carried himself a spot immaturely, which whitethorn person made it easier for nan Giants franchise to springiness up connected him. And he credits nan very knowledgeable Chukars coaching unit he’s worked pinch successful Idaho Falls successful identifying and remedying those shortcomings.

His existent manager, Troy Percival, spent 14 seasons successful nan large leagues, earning 4 MLB All-Star Game nods and signaling nan last retired of a 2002 World Series — Which saw his Angels hit nan Giants successful 7 games. Chukars adjunct coach Billy Butler was a large leaguer for 10 seasons, and Milacki spent 8 seasons astatine nan sport’s highest level.

All nan coaching Wyatt and nan Chukars person is higher than is possibly expected successful an independent league. But Milacki specifically is personification Wyatt holds successful precocious regard, referring to nan coach arsenic a “father-figure” to him and his teammates.

“It’s difficult to beat, having a head aliases pitching coach who played successful nan Big Leagues who you tin prime their encephalon each azygous day, and find a measurement to get amended conscionable because of nan knowledge that they have.”

Wyatt, successful what is apt his last play pinch nan Chukars, is 2nd connected nan squad pinch a .339 batting average. He is besides tied for 2nd successful some RBIs (60) and location runs (12).

As for what is adjacent — if nan rules barring him from returning to nan Chukars is unchanged — Wyatt said he has immoderate imaginable landing spots for adjacent play successful mind. He named immoderate of nan different independent shot leagues astir nan state earlier mentioning that nan Mexican Pacific League could beryllium an option.

Many Major League careers aliases aspirations person been revived while playing wintertime shot successful Mexico — on pinch Korea’s KBO and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball convention — and Wyatt, 28, is acold from giving up connected his career.

“I would for illustration to support playing shot arsenic agelong arsenic I perchance can. But astatine nan aforesaid time, sometimes there’s penning connected nan wall and you’ve sewage to publication it,” Wyatt said.

“To adhd to nan extremity of this journey, I would emotion to coach 1 time and thief guys get to wherever I’ve gotten — and hopefully beyond.”

As nan aged seasoned among this young team, Wyatt has already begun his travel of helping others unrecorded retired their dream — offering guidance to teammates whenever possible. But, small do they realize, his teammates person done nan aforesaid for him.

“They don’t cognize it but nan guys that I’ve had these 4 years, successful nan lockerroom, person made maine study really to emotion nan crippled again,” he said.

With things already successful nan useful to proceed his playing profession beyond nan season, Wyatt said his only attraction correct now is helping Chukars triumph games and possibly a PBL title.

Raising a trophy astatine Melaleuca Field, Wyatt said, would beryllium an awesome culmination to his clip successful Idaho Falls — wherever he said he has felt thing but invited and respected.

“It would beryllium unreal to raise nan trophy and say, ‘hey, this is for Idaho Falls,'” Wyatt said.

The Chukars’ pursuit of a PBL title continues Tuesday nighttime erstwhile they big nan Oakland Ballers for Game 1 of a six-game series. First transportation Tuesday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.