By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Senior Washburn University second baseman Tyler-Clark Chiapparelli has seen the world differenly than most collegiate athletes throughout the years.
Clark-Chiapparelli began his collegiate career at Texas State University. He signed on with the Bobcats as a two-way player.
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli
At the end of his time in Texas State, they wanted the 6-foot-2 athlete to become just a pitcher but Clark-Chiapparelli wasn’t ready to give up the bat.
After one year at Texas State, Clark-Chiapparelli transferred to San Jacinto Community College in Pasadena, Texas. San Jacinto is known for bringing in a high amount of baseball players and Clark-Chiapparelli realized that if he wanted to get important playing time, he’d have to hit the road again.
With just one semester at San Jacinto, Clark-Chiapparelli transferred to McCook Community College in McCook, Nebraska. Clark-Chiapparelli was recruited by notable pitching guru, Pat Robles, whose current position is with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The weekend he was recruited at McCook, Clark-Chiapparelli and his father drove 18 hours to the college from Houston, Texas to see the opportunities he could potentially have. Clark-Chiapparelli loved everything about the college.
Clark-Chiapparelli looks at McCook as the savior of his baseball career with that move a stepping stone to his time at Washburn.
Tyler Clark-Chiapparelli has been a key cog in Washburn baseball's hot start to the 2022 season. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/The Washburn Review]
“I had 32 offers out of McCook,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “Washburn was one of my top choices at the time. I visited Washburn and love it. I loved coach (Connor) Crimmins, Lane (Harvey), and (Harley) Douglas. I originally committed to Middle Tennessee State University out of McCook. Middle Tennessee had some coaching changes and I felt that coach (Harley) Douglas connected on many levels, so I texted him to let him know that Middle Tennessee wasn’t meant for me and I’d like to come to Washburn.
“Coach Douglas said he would take me in a heartbeat, so from there that started my journey as a baseball player at Washburn.”
In a condensed COVID-19 ridden 2020 season, Clark-Chiapparelli had a .282 batting average, drove in 14 runs and had 20 hits in a minimal 71 at-bats before the season was taken away from the Washburn baseball team.
Clark-Chiapparelli would come back stronger in 2021, slashing a .292 batting average, collecting 30 hits, seven doubles, 16 runs batted in and only striking out 17 times in 102 plate appearances.
In 2022, Clark-Chiapparelli is on pace to shatter his personal-best numbers at Washburn by a hefty amount.
Clark-Chiapparelli has been a consistent leadoff man for Washburn (15-4, 7-0) this season for a reason.
“I do believe that I have progressed quite a bit from last year to this year,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “There have been a lot of small things I’ve needed to fix in my swing and I feel more comfortable with the corrections along the way. Seeing my swing on video in slow-motion has been a big help for me. The coaches that know my swing really well are the people that have helped me fine-tune my swing.
“There is never truly a break for baseball players, so having a correct mindset and approach has been a key to my personal growth and the team’s growth.”
Clark-Chiapparelli’s slick glove in the infield followed by his red-hot bat in the batter’s box is a catalyst for Washburn’s 2022 success.
The Ichabods currently sit on top of the MIAA due to a bond that the clubhouse has.
“From last year to this year, Crimmins and Douglas did a great job recruiting great pitchers for the team,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “We brought back so many bats. Everyone, one through nine, approaches the game like a veteran should. So many of us have embraced a leadership role this year. The culture has changed and we expect everyone to be ‘Bod-in.
“The ultimate goal for me personally is to leave this university in better shape than it was when I got here.”
At this point last year, Washburn had a 7-12 record. They endured a few losing streaks in the 2021 season and they’re well aware of that. Washburn wants to have a better year than their 20-22 season.
“Our goal this year is to win the conference championship,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “Our coaching staff has helped us put us in winning situations. The guys who don’t get a ton of playing time are guys who can start on any team in our conference. When you have 15 guys that can swing the bat, a bullpen full of good arms and a coaching staff that believes in you, the ceiling will always be high.
“We have a solid chance of winning a championship this year.”
Clark-Chiapparelli has no regrets for any stops or bumps on his long journey. The senior believes that this journey has been exactly the way it should’ve gone.
“Washburn has been the best decision and life-changing opportunity that I could have ever asked for,” Clark-Chiapparelli said. “No matter where you go to school, whatever division, there is talent everywhere and I am so grateful for everyone here who has helped me become a better ballplayer and person.”
