FENWAY PARK – The first and only time before this weekend that Cam Devanney set foot on the sacred Fenway Park field was a memorable one.
He was 10.
“Our Cal Ripken team was being honored and we stood out on the warning track in front of The Green Monster,” said the 28-year-old Devanney, pointing to the spot from the visiting dugout.
Even more memorable, though, was what happened a few hours afterward. Then-Red Sox rookie Clay Buchholz threw a no-hitter.
“It was incredible being there for that,” Devanney, a 2015 Central Catholic graduate and Amherst, N.H., native.
But this trip this weekend at Fenway Park trumped that day by a hundred-fold.
Devanney got his first-ever appearance as a major leaguer, playing third base for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the finale against the Red Sox.
“Incredible,” said Devanney. “The accessibility for all my friends and family, and just the fact that I’ve been coming here since I was, you know, four years old, dreaming. I’ve been at Fenway so many times as a fan. I loved the Red Sox growing up; loved them.”
Devanney’s year has been a whirlwind, beginning with a great start for Kansas City Royals AAA team in Omaha, hitting three grand slams over five games, and among the International League hitting leaders.
The Royals called him up to the big club just before the All-Star break, spending five days with the team, but never playing. He also looked ahead for Aug. 4-6 when the Royals come to Fenway.
A day after the All-Star game he was then traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, which sent him to AAA Indianapolis. His life-long dream was put on hold.
Soon after the trade to Indianapolis he admittedly circled the dates the Pirates would be at Fenway Park, Aug. 29-31.
“I was just hoping … But when Friday hit, I figured it wasn’t going happen,” said Devanney. “Then I got the call late Friday night driving home from our game in Indianapolis. My manager said, ‘Pack your bags. You’re on a 6 a.m. flight. You’re playing for the Pirates.’ I couldn’t’ believe it.”
By 9 a.m. on Saturday he had his bags and headed to the team hotel in downtown Boston, about two miles from Fenway Park.
Along came more than a hundred text messages on this cell phone.
“I haven’t had time to get back to many people yet. I’ll do that later,” said Devanney, for his first-ever MLB appearance. “It’s just cool that I am playing here with so many family and friends able to be here.”
Former Central Catholic teammate Evan Becht made an appearance on Saturday. His former AAU coach and director of NEB Baseball, Scott Paterson was among those there for his start on Sunday.
“There are some kids you just know,” said Paterson. “Sal Frelick was going to be a major leaguer. Cam Devanney, in my mind, a future major leaguer. I saw the work he put in, even as a kid. Honestly, I’m not surprised. He loved baseball from an early age, more than most. I’m so proud of him and his journey.”
Devanney’s trek through the minors, traded twice, has been an impressive on the last three years as a shortstop, particularly since in AAA since being called up in 2022, hitting .306 with three homers in 13 games.
In 2024 he hit 19 homers with 77 RBI with a .254 average.
And this spring and early summer, belting 19 homers, 77 RBI and a .266 average.
But trek hasn’t only been about numbers. It’s been about maturity and consistency.
“It’s very easy to get bogged down in a bad game, a bad week, getting sent down, or whatever it may be,” said Devanney. “When put that aside and just think about, ‘What’s next?,’ I think it kind of gives you clarity and allows you to kind of free yourself from the disappointment of whatever just happened.”
“That’s been a huge one for me, especially this year, more than anything,” he said, smiling. “Stay on track, keep going and good things to come your way.”
Devanney said getting to a major league diamond has never been about proving people wrong. It’s just, he said, approaching each day with clarity and worrying out that day.
“Stacking good days. That’s my goal,” he said. “It’s just crazy how far you can go just doing that,” said Devanney. “Even when I was going into my junior senior at Elon, I didn’t even think I’d play pro ball. I just hadn’t performed yet.
“And then I was lucky enough to get drafted and put together some good years and then get an opportunity,” he added. “But that’s kind of how I’ve it’s just been my whole life. It’s just been, you know, worried about the next day. And you know, if you take care of each day, you know the right way, good things will happen.”
A seasoned, 10-year veteran could not have said what Devanney said, any better.
You can email Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.