Shrewsbury, Mass., native Dan Green deemed himself undersized, with limited tools and athleticism. However, what Green did possess was an understanding of the game.
"As a catcher, I gravitated toward the detail-oriented parts of baseball in terms of pitch sequence, stealing strikes and managing situations'' said Green. "That helped me find my way onto some very competitive travel and showcase teams, including a 16U New England AAU championship roster that I probably lacked the raw talent to be on otherwise.''
As a member of the Shrewsbury High team, Green realized he was not a college prospect, so he was not consumed by recruiting, measurables, statistics, or class rankings. All that mattered was playing the game freely and enjoying what he was doing.
Green matriculated to the University of South Carolina, where he served as the Gamecocks bullpen catcher.
