Troy Mattes knows what it’s like at the highest levels of professional baseball and the benefits that come alongside that lifestyle. As a former major league pitcher for the Montreal Expos and a coach in the Baltimore Orioles organization, you may wonder… what’s he still doing at Inspiration Academy?
“For me, it’s about having the opportunity to have a stable lifestyle at home for my wife and two daughters,” coach Mattes said. “I get the opportunity to live at home year-round, while still getting all the baseball I need in a high-level environment like Inspiration Academy where I can speak freely about my faith and mentor my “sons” at work.”
And mentor he does. Entering his fifth year as the pitching coach at Inspiration Academy, Troy is charged with the oversight and programming for all pitchers ages 11-18. He also is in charge of the baseball mentorship program where he helps develop curriculum for coaches and players to draw closer to each other and to Jesus Christ.
“Coach Mattes is like a father figure to me. I know he’s going to be there when I have questions about faith in Christ and he’s always there when I need some extra work with my pitching,” said pitcher Jack MacKinnon. “He just goes above and beyond in his care for the players.”
A big part of the mentorship program Mattes develops is using examples of the ups and downs in his 20 years of professional baseball.
“I’ve been blessed to always be surrounded by incredible mentors that helped me with the peaks and valleys of this world, men that have helped refine my character and point me in the right direction,” Mattes said. “Having the opportunity to pass on my knowledge and gifts of this game, along with sharing God’s love with those young men I’m mentoring is a dream come true!”
