Imagine trading in a Major League Baseball jersey for a police uniform.
An Abilene police officer, Tyler Barrett, knows that story way too well, starting his big league career getting drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2011.
Then Barrett’s playing days came to a halt, and he decided to help the community in law enforcement.
“Coming from a sports background most of my life, and then getting into law enforcement, I’d say there’s a lot of that team camaraderie,” said Barrett. “It’s a team game. We go out with the same guys every day.”
Barrett’s hometown of Boise, Idaho, is where the love for baseball began, and also where he found a player who inspired him.
“Back then, they had a minor league affiliate,” said Barrett. “They had the Boise Hawks, and that was a single-A team for them. So, as early as I can remember, Dontrelle Willis used to pitch for them, and so he was a left-handed pitcher, kind of, you know, pretty squirrely, kind of wild.”
After knowing what to strive for, the dream of being an MLB player was a reality with just one phone call.
“I got called, got my name called, got drafted, and then two days later, I was out in Connecticut playing,” said Barrett. “So it was pretty surreal pitching in college a few days before that, and then 3 or 4 days later, pitching in some minor league games.”
A UCL injury shortened his playing days, but then he went on to the next chapter of his life, where there are new challenges to overcome as a police officer.
“It’s always tough just not really knowing what’s going to happen next and just kind of being ready,” said Barrett. “You kind of hope for the best and, you know, plan for the worst, and just make it through every day.”
Barrett’s story is truly one of a kind, and it is great to see him making a positive impact after his playing days in the community.