Ty Marotz
Pitching Coordinator
Director of Facilities Management
In a Nutshell
Minutes away from signing a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Ty Marotz has almost done it all. Having an accomplished history at the youth levels throughout College and the Professional ranks, Ty is one of the most accomplished baseball players to emerge from Illinois.
After retiring from a 9 year career in professional baseball as a player, Pitching Coach and Manager in a league rated equivalent to affiliated AAA level by former Major Leaguers throughout the League, with a winning record, he quickly realized it was the just tip of the iceberg in his passion for coaching and instruction. Throughout his vast and expansive variety of career experiences, he recognized his true coaching passion lies in helping younger players understand how to turn their dreams into real life goals and accomplishments in their own pursuit of playing at the next level. It was during his professional career that Ty met a former teammate and good friend who introduced Ty to Phenom Baseball. A few years later, Ty would bring Phenom Baseball to the Midwest including Phenom Illinois and Phenom Wisconsin.
The High School Years (1996-2000)
Graduating from Crystal Lake Central High School, he played 3 years Varsity baseball and was able to accomplish accolades such as Team Captain, Team MVP, and All-State honors, consistently leading the team in batting average, innings pitched, and complete games as well as being recognized as one of the top 2-way High School players in the state of Illinois. He was selected to play in the All-Conference Tournament held at Stevenson High School and helped lead the Fox Valley Conference team to a 1st place finish in the weekend Tournament. All of this, along with attending summer collegiate camps in Virginia, Indiana, and Arizona as well as playing in Florida for the entire summer of ’98, and Ty began generating significant D1 Collegiate interest. Scholarship offers as a 2-way player ranging from partial to full-ride were being offered from schools all over the country, including Virginia Military Institute, University of Virginia, University of Illinois, College of William & Mary, Old Dominion University, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, Louisville, Cal State Northridge, among others. Arizona State University informed him they wanted him to sign in the fall of his senior year, however, a recently torn UCL would create a new impact on his high school career. Returning in time for game 1 of his senior season of high school (just 5 months post Tommy John surgery) would further exemplify Ty’s strong work ethic and his return to the mound a mere 8 months post-op would crush any doubts as to whether or not he’d ever fully recover.
The College Years (2000-2005)
With Ty and ASU remaining in close communications throughout his senior year of High School and holding interest in the best future for both parties, they would agree the best move would be to look into Junior College programs local to ASU as a way to keep in close contact with easy access to each other while Ty would continue to get himself back into a proven full recovery. Eventually landing at Mesa Community College, and not realizing the full benefits of Juco ball, this decision would eventually be a great way for Ty to showcase his strengths and gain exposure to many professional baseball eyes. With multiple spring training complexes within minutes of MCC, Ty would practice alongside MLB players and coaches who would frequently workout at MCC practices and facilities throughout their off season. Rubbing elbows with the “who’s who” of the MLB and learning and interacting with them would become the norm for Ty while at MCC. Ty would listen in and be a student of the teachings from MLB legends such as Pitching Coach Don Cooper and Steve Stone, among others.
During his time at MCC, Ty would make the difficult decision to retire the bat and turning double plays as a shortstop to focus on his pitching career. This decision would pan out allowing him to become one of the most dominant and strongest pitchers in an athletic conference that at the time was touted to be the equivalent of Single-A professional baseball. Ty would eventually go on to be the Friday night starter at Mesa, the starting pitcher in the Conference All-Star Game, and develop a following from no less than 14 different Major League organizations. He would graduate in ’03 with his AA degree.
In fall ’03, the transfer into ASU was Ty’s next move. With his ears pinned back, he was ready to work with the goals of going to the College World Series in Omaha, and getting drafted. With 9 future Major Leaguers as teammates, the success of the team was nearly inevitable. With the Sun Devil’s RPI (difficulty rating of the season’s schedule and their wins/losses) of 3 for the ’04 season and an RPI of 2 in the ’05 season, the road to Omaha would be tough but realistic. Ty would prove to be a substantial piece of the puzzle for ASU’s pitching staff and would help propel the team to the College World Series in ’05 and nearly win the whole thing. Nationally seeded as #8 for the CWS, the experience is one he’ll never forget! Ty’s impact in beating schools like USC (#1 overall program in producing Major League players (114) – the only program higher than #2 ASU (108)) UCLA, Long Beach State, Arizona, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina and others in an athletic conference (PAC-10) the equivalent of AA Professional Baseball was an experience allowing him to continue developing his craft. In a one-off experience, he was even able to pitch against MLB Legend Curt Schilling in a rehab outing from his now infamous “bloody sock” injury. Upon finishing the ’05 season in the College World Series, Ty would begin the next phase of his journey. He would graduate from ASU with a degree in Sociology and Psychology.
The Professional Years (2005-2013)
Ty got his start in the pros with the Joliet Jackhammers in 2005. After breaking onto the scene and having a dominant closing to the ’05 season, Ty was re-signed for the 2006 campaign. In 2006, after a spring training ankle injury sidelined him, he got released from Joliet and was picked up by the Sioux City Explorers. It was in Sioux City that Ty would spend the rest of his career. After rehabbing his ankle back to playing shape in, Ty would play the final 2 weeks of the season boasting a 0.00 ERA in 11.2 innings over 6 appearances, striking out 16 hitters and surrendering just 2 hits, Ty’s future in pro ball looked bright. Playing for former Chicago Cubs pitcher Les Lancaster, Ty really began to excel. Ty would play for Lancaster for 3 seasons until former California Angels Catcher Stan Cliburn would come to Sioux City whom Ty would play for for another 2 years until retiring.
Upon his retirement, Ty would finish as the franchise record holder for Most Wins, Most Career Games Played, and Most Innings Pitched in franchise history. He would also hold League Records for Strikeouts, Appearances and Innings Pitched. Ty would later go on to be selected to the 25thAnniversary Team for the Sioux City Explorers, commemorating their 25th Season in 2017.
For the 2013 season, Ty would return as a coach. It was with Stan that Ty would learn how to properly coach players as individuals and allow them to come together as a team and put players in situations that would allow them to have their greatest chances to succeed. Ty eventually took up the reins and became the Manager of the team he once played for. He was able to get the players to relax and finished the season on a positive and successful note with a winning record after what had been a very difficult season. For the 2014 campaign, Ty was asked to sign another coaching contract, but made the decision to stay home and delve deeper into his passion of helping young ball players on their journey.
Lessons/Instruction (2004 – Present)
Having received an extensive professional education in Throwing and Pitching disciplines, Ty’s growing list of players trained through his private lessons range from the casual player to the fully dedicated player including Prairie Ridge High School Varsity Pitching Coach Austin Padjen, all the way to 2019 1st round draft pick Quinn Priester out of Phenom Illinois & Cary Grove High School as well as Phenom Illinois’ very own, Coach Ian Koch. Feel free to contact him directly for private lessons.