Valente Melero has seen the hard times for Argo baseball.
He’s the leader of a core group of veterans that were part of teams that won three games in 2022 and five in 2023. Last season the Argonauts improved to 12-19 overall and 6-13 in the South Suburban Red.
“(It was) extremely tough,” Melero said after a 6-3 win over TF South on May 1. “I feel like in the past, a lot of teams looked down on us. Even today, I feel like this team came in lackadaisical, expecting a free win. But we put it to them.”
That victory and a 16-0 shutout of Hubbard on May 3 pushed the Argonauts to 10-13 overall and 5-7 in the conference with nine regular-season games left.
Through bad times and now good, Melero has been a steadying influence. He’s a three-time all-conference pick and seems headed to another selection this season with his .404 batting average, 21 runs and 14 RBIs.
“He’s been a rock.for us,” coach Chris Strelow said. “He leads by example in terms of his work ethic, comes out to play every single day, every single practice. The other players on the team see that as well, whether they’re younger guys or older guys … and it’s nice to be able to lean on him.”
The biggest difference in Melero’s game from freshman year till now?
“It’s kind of not trying to do too much,” Strelow said. “I think he tried to put the team on his back and maybe tried to overcompensate. But he’s really played within himself (this season). He’s got the skills, it’s been a matter of kind of harnessing it. … Now when he’s kind of simplified things, the skills come through and success has followed as well.”
“My freshman year … I was raw,” Melero said. “And over the years, coach Strelow has built me, (assistant) coach (Eric) Schumacher has built me just to be an all-around good player, good team captain, keep these guys up in the dugout.”
Melero reached base four times against TF South with two singles, a walk and a hit by pitch. He stole a base, scored one run and drove in two.
That game also was Melero’s best on the mound all season. After Scott Forston threw two no-hit, no-run innings as an opener, Melero took over and held the Red Wolves to three hits and three runs (two earned) over five innings with no walks and seven strikeouts.
“I felt amazing,” he said. “Everything was working. I just went out there to throw strikes and let my boys make some plays.”
“Sometimes he tries to do too much and he’s amped up,” Strelow said. “He was clearly more composed today and like I said, stayed within himself and just let the skills come through.”
Melero is committed to play at Moraine Valley next season.
“That was my dream ever since I was little: go to college. play some ball,” he said. “I want to go as far as I can. I love baseball.”
And he’ll leave Argo’s program in better shape than he found it.