Many professional athletes never get the chance to play in their backyard. Worcester Red Sox catcher and New Hampshire native Mickey Gasper is the exception.
"It's very special you know, I hold the Northeast very dearly in my heart," said Gasper. "You know a lot of people that formed my baseball career were from here and you know and have helped me along the way. So it's pretty awesome being this close and you know, being able to have a lot of people that have helped me along the way come out and support me."
Family has been key to Gasper's rise to AAA. He said his father fostered his love of baseball.
"It goes back to my father for sure," Gasper said. "He was a great coach, always supported me playing baseball and he was tough on me in the right ways and you know, it made my transition throughout the years playing for different coaches, playing for different people a lot easier because you know, my dad always expected the most out of me."
When done with his playing days, Gasper hopes to step into coaching. He said playing for WooSox manager Chad Tracy, a former catcher himself, has shown him what it takes to lead a team.
"It's the best and you know, it gives you hope to be a manager one day too because you're looking at the game and you're like, 'yeah, you know we have a different view than everybody else and I think that's why catchers translate so well to that managerial position.' Trace's always ready to work and you know he's always ready to put in that time with me and I think that shows from him being a catcher that it takes that amount of work to be great at that position," Gasper said. "You just have to be willing to work throughout the day. Baseball has just been a passion in my family and in me throughout my whole life and, you know, I pray that I can stay in this game for a very long time."