Airline Stocks – Bishop Verot Grad Back inside JetBlue with Red Sox

FORT MYERS, Fla.– Boston Red Sox pitcher Thaddeus Ward is very familiar with the field at JetBlue Park.

After all, his high school career ended here with Bishop Verot. It is also where his professional career looks to takeoff this spring.

Every kid dreams of putting on the glove and hat of their favorite team and stepping out on the diamond.

Thaddeus Ward gets to live that dream everyday.

“I grew up a Red Sox fan being right here with spring training right here in Fort Myers. My first professional baseball game I ever attended was a Red Sox spring training game,” Ward said.

13 miles from JetBlue, at Bishop Verot High School, Ward shined for the Vikings.

He made made four state title runs, maturing as a ballplayer along the way.

“I was never really that good going in to high school, I wasn’t that good halfway through high school and then I had a growth spurt and because of the hard work I put in it helped me out,” Ward said.

From a Viking to a University of Central Florida Knight, he is now turning heads playing for the Red Sox.

“I’ve been hearing about him for a few years,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.

In two minor league seasons, he has 8 wins and 184 strikeouts. He is considered a consensus top 10 prospect for the Red Sox.

Unlike many that still need to prove themselves this time of year, Ward has already made an impression.

“Sometimes you come into spring and you want to open eyes, he doesn’t have to do that we know what he can do. He knows what it takes and stuff wise it’s pretty good,” Cora said.

Ward is left to focus on his own goals

“I don’t typically have a lot of long term goals. Obviously the long-term goal is to make it and stay at the big league level but you know when it comes to expectations for the season I just want to go out and do my job,” Ward said.

Ward did make his spring training debut today against the Braves.