Ep 102: Cubs prospect Tyler Peyton
Right Guy. Right Time.
Episode 102 comes out just in time for the start of the baseball season. Spring is here. The grass is turning green. And you can almost smell the hotdogs and popcorn in the air. This week’s guest is the perfect ballplayer to get you in the mood for a chorus of ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game.’ Tyler Peyton is a bigtime talent who has taken the underdog route to professional baseball. Listen in as he sits down with Tim to talk about growing up playing for his dad and his journey into the Chicago Cubs organization.
Tyler Peyton grew up in Grimes playing for his dad, Byron Peyton, who played in the Reds organization. Tyler was a standout football, basketball, and baseball player. Baseball was his passion though and being able to play for his dad gave him some amazing experiences. Peyton had a stellar career for DC-G playing infield, pitching, and at the plate.
There’s a lot of teams out there in Iowa… that are going to push you to your limits
Peyton’s stats read a little like a video game. He was dominant on the mound and hit over .470 and was 10-0 with a 0.50 ERA as a senior. After high school, he took a trip north to play for Moonlighter Rick Pederson at Iowa Central. As a three-sport athlete, he wasn’t recruited by D1 programs until his senior year but he stuck with Iowa Central and Tyler has a lot of high praise for Pederson and gives a lot of credit to the Triton staff for helping him develop. Tyler had a lot of success in Fort Dodge pitching, playing first, and hitting over .330 in his one season of JUCO.
Moonlighter Rick Heller brought Tyler Peyton to the University of Iowa and he was an integral piece of the rebuild of the Iowa program. In his junior year, the Hawkeyes won 41 games and finished 2nd in the Big Ten. Peyton excelled in Iowa City as a pitcher and first basemen for the Hawks. His resume as a Hawkeye includes accolades as a first baseman, pitcher, and at the plate. Peyton was drafted by the Reds in 2015 in the 33rd Round and then in the 29th Round of 2016 by the Cubs, who he plays for now
I have to outwork you
Tyler Peyton takes Tim behind the scenes of his professional career so far. Peyton has seen a lot of talent during his time with the Cubs. From big leaguers to top prospects, he continues to learn the game and challenge himself to rise to the occasion. He has transitioned from high school to JUCO, then to DI, and now is finding his role in in the minors. He has played out of the bullpen, closed, started, and whatever has been asked in his pursuit of getting better.
Tyler’s love for the game will have you ready to dig out your mitt, call up a buddy, and head out to the park.