'Long, Long Journey' Leads Kinnelon Grad to Majors

players, listen close. If you work hard, listen to your coaches and practice often, you can make it to the Major League.

That's the message Sean Bierman, a 23-year-old graduate, is hoping to send to the kids of his native tri-boro community after

"Its been a long, long journey," he said. "Five years of college and a surgery, but I'm really excited to have the opportunity to play on the next level."

Bierman graduated from Kinnelon High School in 2007. He attended college at Vanderbilt University, in Tennessee, before transferring to the University of Tampa, in Fla. He has been playing baseball for as long as he can remember, getting his start with Tri-Boro Little League and working hard on Kinnelon High School teams, which helped him receive sports scholarships in college.

"He is a shining example of a three-sport athlete and the success that they can have. He absolutely bucked the trend of the one-sport athlete," Kinnelon High School Athletic Director Scott Rosenberg said.

Bierman said he has played other positions in his younger years, but focused on pitching when he got to college. But in June 2010, Bierman underwent Tommy John reconstructive surgery, named after a baseball pitcher, on his elbow.

Since then, his elbow has healed and Bierman was able to prove himself enough to be taken by the Rays in the tenth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft at No. 332. He signed a contract with the team Wednesday and now he is "just waiting for them to call me."

Bierman will be playing with the A-League Hudson Valley Renegades, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, in the New York-Penn League.

"I haven't practiced [with them] yet. I'm pretty much just staying by my phone," Bierman said Thursday.

Even though Bierman will be starting with the Rays' minor league affiliate, he plans to continue to work hard to take his career to the next level.

"I'd like to play well and hopefully move up through the ranks," he said. "It's going to be a long, hard journey, but the ultimate goal is to make it to the big team."

While he has played many games throughout his baseball career, his favorite game was while he was in middle school and he and his friends who were on his team made it to the county championships.

"My favorite memories are just being with my teammates in from six years old to playing in high school," he said.

None of Bierman's friends from Kinnelon still play baseball, but he is proud that he has taken his passion for the sport so far.

"Ever since I started playing ball, it's always been my goal," he said. "I'm really excited, it's a good organization. I couldn't be happier."