OAKLEAF - Oakleaf High graduate and baseball pitcher Chris Mauloni, known to Knights fans for his blistering fastball and also his adept hitting, will get a second shot at Major League Baseball with a recent signing with the Detroit Tigers.

“I was drafted last year by the Boston Red Sox, but not signed,” said Mauloni, who just finished up his sophomore season at Jacksonville University after a sterling freshman year that saw him earn First Team All American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association as well as a Third Team All-American by Rawlings/Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball, a First-Team Freshman All-American by Baseball America, a finalist for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year award, as well as All-ASUN Second Team and Freshman Team honors. “Right now, I have been told that they might set up a small minor league after seeing the results (COVID-19) on the upcoming 60-game season. Nothing is for sure though.”

Though still earning a signing bonus, Mauloni is kind of on hold until August with playing time.

“I can’t play travel ball or summer ball because of now being a professional,” said Mauloni. “It’s a bit anti-climactic because you don’t get that instant gratification of getting to play pro ball. I just stay in shape with weightlifting and throwing and catching at home.”

Mauloni, who had finished a 2.5 hour weightlifting session prior to our conversation, stormed to the top of the NCAA relief pitching stats with 20 saves leading the Dolphins to a 40-win season and an NCAA regional appearance.

In his sophomore season, Mauloni was a preseason All-ASun Conference selection, but just played in 12 games. The Boston Red Sox drafted him 35th in the 2019 MLB draft First Year Player Draft. In 2020, Mauloni added two saves to his total; 24, to become the top closer at Jacksonville.

“When I came in I had a mindset based on my ability from high school,” said Mauloni. “I just wanted to not get beaten at any circumstance on the field. I still learned a whole much more that year.”

Mauloni, 22, has seen the strength training provide some muscular durability in the rugged schedule of NCAA seasons.

“I never weightlifted much in high school, but the level of commitment of the entire team at JU is much higher. If you want to play, you have to put in the extra work,” said Mauloni.

At the Detroit Tigers signing, Mauloni asked what they wanted from their pitchers because his draft, but no signing last year left him thinking about why not.

“They were always looking for power guys; upper 90 mphs, but they noted that I had developed a slider that noone could hit,” said Mauloni. “Every hitter at the NCAA level can hit a fastball, but now I can throw most of my secondary pitches in the strike zone. Those pitches make the fastball that much more effective.”

Mauloni, who was pursuing a degree in aviation management at Jacksonville, will now have to find gaps in his baseball time to continue classes.

“Detroit has paid for the rest of my schooling and I would like to finish that,” said Mauloni. “

Mauloni joked about his days as a strong hitter at Oakleaf that has been curtailed for his pitching arm.

“At this level, they pay guys big money to hit and they pay guys to pitch,” said Mauloni. “I was a pretty good bat in high school.”

Mauloni noted former Oakleaf teammates Skylar Arias and J.C. Flowers are still pursing their Major League aspirations; Arias with the Cleveland Indians (pitcher for ) and Flowers with the Pittsburg Pirates (outfielder).