Everyone’s dream when playing baseball growing up is to one day make the pros.
TJ McFarland lived his dream and became the first professional baseball player to come out of Stagg.
Now after an 18-year pro career that included 13 seasons in the major leagues, McFarland has decided to move on. The left-handed reliever announced his retirement on social media on March 23.
What did he learn?
“If you put together hard work and continue the path, you’ll achieve your dream,” McFarland said.
“I’m a guy that never really was going to ride off into the sunset in terms of determining my own retirement. The game kind of lets you know when it is time.”
McFarland made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2013 and also pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Lous Cardinals, Athletics and New York Mets.
He went 26-20 with a 4.18 earned run average and 325 strikeouts in 546 1/3 innings pitched across 460 MLB games. While pitching for the Athletics in 2024, he led the American League with 79 appearances.
This would not have been possible without a promise he made to his parents during high school.
“They made me swear that I would get my degree,” McFarland said, who received it from the University of Phoenix in 2017 while playing with the D’backs.
McFarland was selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft by the Cleveland I,ndians but did not make his MLB debut until April 4, 2013 with the Orioles against the Minnesota Twins.
“My debut was incredible,” McFarland said. “I was able to run out onto the field when my name was called and the bullpen phone rang. I had these butterflies in my stomach and ended up doing extremely well. I’ll never forget the first pitch I threw in a big-league game. I it was to Justin Morneau and he popped out to end the inning.”
Though McFarland put up good numbers, that’s not all that kept him in MLB for 13 years.
“I kind of valued myself as a good teammate,” the 6-3, 200-pounder said. “There is a certain level of talent that allowed me to be there. But for me to stay as long as I did, I had to be that guy — a leader that lifted others up.”
“He’s a grinder in terms of his pro career in how he reinvented himself,” said Matt O’Neill, who coached McFarland in baseball and basketball at Stagg. “He’s always been a guy that got along with everybody. Even when we had scouts at games, he was never too big for anybody else on the team.
“TJ was a great team player,” former Stagg basketball coach John Daniels said. “He was a competitor and he wanted to be a part of it. He even led in charges and I believe was second in rebounding on some good teams.”
McFarland has had a great support system that included those teachers and coaches from Stagg and his parents. But it starts with his wife, Jenna, whom he met in high school.
“She’s always been the rock of the family and someone to bounce ideas off,” McFarland said. “Jenna has always been the person to solidify me and give me the confidence to continue on so she helped me throughout my career.”
He’s excited to spend time with her, his two children and the rest of his family but has not ruled out being close to the game.
“I think I’m going to go into finance,” McFarland said. “While I weighed coaching, I’d like to stick around the game and maybe use my experience and help athletes.”
Last fall, McFarland took part in the Crossover into Business program at the Harvard Business School, which was attended by professional athletes from all sports.
“It was eye-opening,” he said. “I’n not getting into Harvard Business School anytime soon. But through this program we were able to connect with students and learn a little bit.
He won’t stay away from the diamond forever.
“I think I hit my quota (of baseball games) for my lifetime,” McFarland said. “But I’m certainly going to get the itch soon enough, especially in the summer.
“I’m excited to bring my kids to games, especially my oldest now that he’s old enough to kind of recognize what I did. It’s going to be an incredible experience.”