Howland native signs with Pirates
The 20-year-old is in Bradenton, Fla., awaiting assignment.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HOWLAND -- Justin Byler, a 2004 graduate of Warren Harding High School, has signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates after completing his second season with Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla.
The 20-year-old Byler is in Bradenton, Fla. being evaluated before placement.
A son of Dave and Julie Byler of Howland, he was originally drafted out of high school, but bypassed signing to play in junior college. After his first season, Byler was drafted a second time, but opted to remain in school.
Both times, he was drafted as a catcher.
At Gulf Coast C.C., however, Byler played right field his first year, then third base his second year with the Commodores.
"He can pretty much play every position out there," Dave Byler said. "That's good, in a way, but catching is his love affair."
Strong seasons
After his first season, Justin Byler earned all-America status from the National Junior College Athletic Association and second-team all-state honors his second year.
The 6-2, 215-pound Byler, who transferred to Harding from Howland for his senior season, conceivably could have been drafted five times, his father said.
"When you're drafted, the team holds the rights until 10 days before the next draft," Dave Byler said, noting that this year's draft is June 5-6.
Coincidentally, Justin Byler's first-year head coach at Gulf Coast was Darren Mazeroski, the son of Hall of Fame Pirate Bill Mazeroski.
A year ago, Darren Mazeroski retired after 20-plus years at Gulf Coast to become a scout for Pittsburgh.
"Darren and Justin had a good relationship," Dave Byler said.
"They talked a lot the first year about what Darren thought Justin was able to do. After he retired, Darren kept in contact. The Pirates made an offer and they ended up worked things out and talked Justin into signing."
Dave Byler said his son's route to the pros is known as "draft and follow."
"They don't expect a draftee to sign immediately, but they want to lock him up," he said of holding a draftee's rights for a year. "They follow them through college for a year or two to see how they progress. Then they grab them before someone else gets them."
Dave Byler said his son was ready to turn pro.
"It wasn't that he didn't like school, but he thought that it was a good time to break into the game," Dave Byler said.
"If he's good enough to make it, he'll spend two, three or four years in the minors. At that point he'll be 23- or 25-years-old. That should give a player an idea if he's going to make it or not."
What's next
Justin Byler, who was back home in Howland until being flown to Bradenton to sign, will join a rookie team and stay at Pirate City until the 2006 draft.
"Then they'll start releasing other players and replace them with newer people," Dave Byler said.
Justin will either stay in Florida and play in the Gulf Coast League or be assign to a single-A team, most likely a short-season team like the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League.
"That would be great because we could see him play a little more there," Dave Byler said of seeing Justin in the same league -- and same division -- as the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
Justin's older brother, Aaron, is entering his fifth year at the University of Toledo and a younger brother, Zachary, is completing his junior year at Howland High.
Justin's strong arm may be his ticket to the pros, but, once he started GCCC, his hitting improved significantly, his father said.
Byler hit .455 his first season and won a statewide award for highest average.
He set GCCC's single-season record for hits as a freshman (84), then finished his two-year junior college career with 151 in approximately 100 games.
bassetti@vindy.com