Clearwater, Fla. – Noah Song, a pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies, is a unique story of the 2021 spring training season. With an impressive four-year career at the U.S. Naval Academy, Song was drafted by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft. After putting up impressive numbers in the minor leagues, Song was called to serve his country as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy, putting his baseball career on hold.
However, in December 2020, the Phillies selected Song in the Rule 5 Draft, giving him an opportunity to return to professional baseball. After a year of training and serving in the Navy, Song has arrived in Clearwater to compete for a spot on the Phillies’ roster.
When Song made the decision to attend the Naval Academy, he was aware that the commitment would mean an end to his professional baseball career. “Going into the academy, you know you’re gonna play four years of baseball and be done, and that’s going to be the deal,” said Song. “That’s what you signed up for and that’s what you’re preparing for.”
Song applied for and was denied a request to delay his military service. While in flight school, he kept his baseball status a secret, as he believed it would cause bias and distraction among instructors.
When he was drafted by the Phillies, Song was surprised and excited. “They were very clear about the expectations they had, which was not a whole lot at the time,” said Song. “They didn’t know if I was gonna come back to play. Nobody knew if I was gonna come back to play or not.”
Song was originally supposed to be deployed to Japan in January, but his request to transfer his time from active duty to reserve duty was approved. This allowed him to compete in spring training with the Phillies.
Song is racing against the clock to make the Phillies roster. Rule 5 selections have to spend the entire season on the 26-man roster or else be placed on waivers. If a player clears waivers, he returns to the original team.
Song is confident that he can adapt to the new game of baseball, as the military has taught him how to adapt to new situations. He is grateful for this opportunity to play the game he loves, and is determined to make the most of it.
“From the day I was drafted, every day of baseball after that was just one more day than I was guaranteed,” said Song. “So I was just happy to play every day. Even to this day, I still kind of see it that way.”
Noah Song’s return to the game of baseball is an inspiring reminder of the power of perseverance and determination. He will be looking to make an impact in the Phillies’ organization this season, and his story will be one to watch.
