Shorebirds' hitting leader looks to emulate Torii Hunter

Studying geology and business at the University of Missouri, Jake Ring decided to put aside his textbooks and pencils for a life of baseball mitts and batting gloves.

Ring, an outfielder, was sitting by his pool in Chicago on June 11 when he received the call he had waited for all his life.

The Baltimore Orioles had just selected Ring in the 31st round of the 2016 MLB draft, but before he could even hang up the phone, Ring was already packing his bags to make the 11-hour trip to Maryland.

“I had expected to go the day before, and I was starting to get my housing all together to go back to college, but then the Orioles called, gave me something I wanted, and just like that I was off on my journey,” Ring said. “It changed my life, and it’s a memory I’ll have forever.”

He was first assigned to one of the big club's minor-league teams — the Gulf Coast League Orioles, in a league where many players start their journeys following the draft.

“I knew I’d have to put my work in if I wanted to move up. I just went there and did my best to be the best player I could be,” Ring said.

Ring made the most of his time in the Gulf Coast League. Through 169 at bats, the 21-year-old tallied 47 hits, 24 runs, and 21 RBIs, while finishing the year with a .278 overall batting average.

His performance in Sarasota, Florida, earned him a promotion to one of Baltimore’s farm leagues, and in September, Ring made the move to the Eastern Shore.

“I had played summer ball in Connecticut, but that was my extent of being on the Eastern side — this is where I hoped I was going to be,” Ring said.

Replacing the worn-out Oriole on his jersey with a lustrous new Shorebird, Ring raced up to Salisbury and was set to play in the final three games of the regular season.

MORE SHOREBIRDS: Orioles' Rickard rehabs with Shorebirds, gets 3 hits

Even with the year wrapping up, the now 22-year-old made the most of his 12 at bats, putting up two hits, one double and an RBI. He also scored two runs in the team’s regular season finale victory against the Kannapolis Intimidators.

While his late season play didn’t garner much attention from Delmarva fans, Shorebirds’ manager Ryan Minor immediately saw potential in his new outfielder.

As the Shorebirds closed the book on their 2016 season, Minor couldn’t wait for 2017 to see what Ring would do next.

“We’ve had a ton of turnover the last couple of years, but with some of the guys returning, they already know the system, know what to expect and can build off what they did last season,” Minor said prior to the start of the season. “(Ring) had a strong finish last season, and we hoped he was going to be big for us coming into this year.”

With the offseason on the horizon, Ring returned home to Chicago uncertain of his future on the Shore.

“I didn’t really know where I was going to be. I ended off here last year, but I didn’t know if was going to be sent somewhere else,” Ring said. “I prepared myself to play a long season, get my body trained, try to get my swing down and work on making it the whole year.”

For many minor-league players, waiting for the upcoming season can feel like an eternity, but for Ring, his break from the game was focused on the arrival of something a little more important.

In February, Ring’s son, Braxton, was born, giving the outfielder a new purpose for playing the game.

“He’s out in Missouri, but I know he’s got my back. Knowing he’s there, you know it makes me work a little harder — he’s what I do it for, and him and my family are the ones who keep me going,” Ring said.

Spending less than a month with his newborn son, Ring discovered he'd be back with the Shorebirds, forcing him to switch gears from being a father back to a baseball player.

Now, with the 2017 season a month underway, Ring has become one of Delmarva’s premier players, earning the South Atlantic League Player of the Week on April 17.

Through 18 games, Ring leads the Shorebirds with a .364 batting average, 24 hits and 19 RBIs. His accuracy at the plate is paired with his speed in baserunning. He has three stolen bases this season and stole 15 the year before.

“It’s just confidence. I knew I could compete at this level, and once I had a few balls land I just took off,” Ring said. “I know I can be one of the best guys out here as long as I have my mind in the right place and keep my confidence.”

MORE BASEBALL: SU baseball wins CAC title in rout of Mary Washington

His inspiration and style of play have come from years of studying former Minnesota Twins star Torii Hunter, who plays the same position as Ring.

Hunter won nine consecutive American League Golden Glove Awards and was a five-time All Star during his 19 seasons in the majors.

“He was a guy that I’ve always tried to model my game off of. Had a nice swing, great fielder and an overall great ballplayer,” Ring said.

Despite his young age, Ring is hoping to be the next Shorebird to take the path from Perdue Stadium to Camden Yards. He says big-name players like Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop and Trey Mancini, who all began their careers on the Shore, serve as motivation to get to the next level.

Having a new child, bonding with new teammates and getting to know a new fan base have not left a lot of room on Ring’s plate, but through the support of his family and the confidence he has established early in his career, the Illinois native expects to keep a positive attitude regardless of what happens the remainder of the season.

“Whether I’m moved up or not, I’m just going to stay positive and stay focused and have a strong full year. This is an awesome area, the fans are great and I’m looking forward to being one the best players out here,” Ring said.