Justyn-Henry Malloy Ready for Increased role this Season for Vandy Boys
It's a right of passage for freshmen to sit and learn at the college level, so it was no shock to Justyn-Henry Malloy when he sat and watched his teammates run through a historic season on their way to winning 59 games and the College World Series title.
Now it's Malloy's turn to step forward and fill a larger role for head coach Tim Corbin and the Commodores in 2020, and the Bergenfield, N.J. native is ready for his opportunity.
Malloy spoke with the media on Wednesday ahead of he and the rest of the Commodores trip to Scottsdale, Az. to open the season against Michigan on Friday, followed by games with UConn, and Cal-Poly on Saturday and Sunday in the MLB4 Collegiate Baseball Tournament.
While Malloy's contributions in 2019 were limited, the experience he gained from watching players like J.J. Bleday, Ethan Paul, and Julian Infante along with others can not be measured by any metrics.
The experience of seeing his team go through the NCAA Tournament and then the College World Series showed Malloy and the other young Commodores who sat and watched the experience from a distance what it takes to get to Omaha and what it takes to win it all.
Malloy was not part of the travel roster and did not enjoy the celebration and Wolrd Series experience in Omaha, he was in Newport, Rhode Island.
“We have a whole bunch of seniors so it kind of makes sense. It’s a loaded class,” Malloy said. “The older guys are in a better position to lead the team to where they want to go. I will be watching this weekend, of course. They’re my friends and I know them well. I’ll yell at the TV if I have to, but hopefully, there will be no reason to do that,” Malloy told NewportRI.com at the time.
In limited action last season, Malloy managed to produce three runs from 11 at-bats in 13 games. He drew five bases on balls and was hit by a pitch as well.
“J-Hen has continued to develop all facets of his game over the last 12 months. He went off to the NECBL this past summer and played very well. He is a positive young man who enjoys playing the game and has a high investment level toward what he is doing," said Corbin. "We like the direction that he is moving offensively and defensively. He has a chance to impact our lineup at either corner position.”
Malloy played three games at first base last season and two at third, meaning he will be a valuable piece for Corbin as he reshuffles the deck this season.
