SECOND CHANCE: After an injury cut his 2016 season short, USC catcher is back with the Miners for another summer

PALMER — It only took one foul tip to sideline Mat-Su Miners catcher Zack Sharpley for nearly a year. But the University of Southern California product is back in the Alaska Baseball League ready to make up for lost time.

Sharpley has returned to Palmer for his second season with the Miners, after a suffering a finger injury during a road game in Kenai last year.

“It’s great to be back,” Sharpley said after a recent Mat-Su win. “I came back for a reason. It’s a great program. Great league.”

After playing with the Miners for about a month, Sharpley had to return home to Mission Viejo, California, about a week before the 2016 postseason. During a game against the Peninsula Oilers in Kenai last July, Sharpley took a foul ball off his right index finger.

“It shattered the knuckle above and below,” Sharpley said as he pointed to the taped finger. “It was a really bad break.”

The injury forced him to miss the entire 2017 college season. Sharpley said he was cleared to play about two weeks before the first week of the ABL season. All of the time on the sideline left Sharpley eager to get back onto the diamond.

“I’m very hungry,” Sharpley said. “I’m glad to be back. Glad to get some swings, get some live action. Really prove I’m meant to be here, be at (USC).”

Sharpley said before leaving Palmer last summer, he expressed his desire to come back. When he got home, Sharpley said he was thrilled to receive an invitation to return to the team.

“There was a letter in the mail about week after I got home. It was a renewal contract,” Sharpley said. “I said I wanted to come back, and that letter was waiting for me when I got home.”

Mat-Su head coach Ben Taylor said he’s excited to have Sharpley back on the team.

“He earned the chance to come back,” Taylor said.

Taylor said there are many things that stand out about Sharpley. Toughness is among the attributes.

“Zack is a real tough guy for us,” Taylor said. “Zack love to play ball. He loves to catch. As catchers, we know we’re one foul tip away from mangled up hands. Zack has his war wounds.”

Overall, Taylor said Sharpley brings a lot to the position.

“Zack is a good all-around catcher,” Taylor said. “He’s a good receiver. He blocks really well. Guys like throwing to him. He’s got great energy.”

Sharpley played in 11 games last summer for the Miners, and hit .286. He helped solidify things behind the plate, before he was forced to miss the remainder of the season due to injury. Despite missing the final week and the postseason, Taylor said Sharpley made a big impact for the Miners, the 2016 ABL champions.

“There is no way we win the 2016 championship without Zack,” Taylor said.

Even though he was home in California, Sharpley said he played close attention to Mat-Su’s run to the title.

“I followed every game,” Sharpley said. “It was exciting. It was exciting to get a ring. It was exciting to be a part of that team. I wish I could have been there.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.