Harvard-Westlake Alum Making His Way Through the Minor Leagues

Joshua Satin comes from a world of entertainers.    

It doesn't seem unusual when you've grow up in the affluent suburb of Calabasas, 10 minutes from North Hollywood. Among the city's famous residents: socialites (Kim Kardashian), Partridges (Danny Bonaduce and Susan Dey), M*A*S*H* alums (Loretta Swit, Mike Farrell and Jamie Farr), Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter), Meatloaf and both The Bionic Man (Lee Majors) and Bionic Woman (Lindsey Wagner).    

It's in this backdrop that Satin shared an equally eclectic e, where Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, Jon Lovitz, Jason Segel, Tori Spelling and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner are counted among the distinguished alumni.    

Satin, however, chose the baseball field, a path that has brought him to Double-A Binghamton, NY in the Mets organization.    

"I had my sights set on athletics," said Satin, 26, who was classmates with Chloe Bergen and Spencer Margaret Smith, the daughters of Candice Bergen and Jaclyn Smith, respectively. "I was all baseball. I'd take a role if someone gave it to me, but I wasn't very good."    

With the Wolverines, Satin was half of "The Bash Brothers," combining with teammate Brennan Boesch, currently the No. 3 batter for the Detroit Tigers, to foster renewed pride in a program that had failed to compete in a Mission League dominated by other schools.    

Satin batted .478 during his senior year, while Boesch hit .590, and the pair led Harvard-Westlake to the Southern Section final, capping four-year varsity careers that would land both in the Harvard-Westlake's Hall-of-Fame in 2009.    

"We got better every year," Satin said. "Being a part of changing the mentality was great. They've become very good and I believe it started with our class."    

After high school, both players starred for the University of California Golden Bears. Satin was drafted two years after Boesch, when the Mets took him in the sixth round of the 2008 draft.    

While Boesch's power has translated to the big leagues, Satin is still forging an identity with the Mets, thanks to wrist and shoulder injuries in college that delayed his development.    

"It's been a long process," he said. "I started late because I lost a few years in college, so I didn't get drafted until I was 23. I was really raw when I got here and had to develop."    

His offense has carried him to this point; his unique batting eye and smooth swing have allowed the righty to post a nearly .300 average and .400 on-base percentage since being drafted in 2008, and hasn't faltered amid among increasingly difficult competition.    

This season, he is batting .306 with a .410 on-base percentage and eight home runs in 62 games with the B-Mets.    

That skill-set aside, Satin knows he needs more in order to realize a Major-League dream shared by thousands of Southern Cal kids—he must continue to improve his defensive shortcomings.    

"I was an offensive guy my whole life, so I feel I'm ready for whatever level they put me at," Satin said. "But I still need to work on other aspects of my game. Defensively, the last three years have been a long process, and a lot of coaches have helped me get better."    

The last three years have become a fourth, as the 27-year-old continues to evolve with the glove. He has played mostly second base and some first during his first three years, but has moved to third this season for the B-Mets. He credits his manager, former Mets infielder Wally Backman, with helping him make the transition.    

"My first day, Wally said, 'Your bat plays, but we have to get the glove to play at the big-league level,' and he's really helped me," Satin. "He videotapes me and we go over a lot of things. We talk about positioning a lot and how to prepare before a pitch."    

Satin will only help himself if he can show aptitude at multiple spots, perhaps as an eventual right-handed complement to first-baseman Ike Davis or a super sub in the mold of Daniel Murphy or Justin Turner.    

"You never know what they may need at the next level, so I'm willing to try anything to make myself more versatile," Satin said. "I'm an open book when it comes to that."