From Sporting Goods to MLB: The Incredible Journey of Rookie Chris Roycroft

From Dick’s Sporting Goods to the Major Leagues: The Incredible Journey of MLB Rookie Chris Roycroft

Every sports fan loves a good underdog story. And MLB rookie Chris Roycroft has certainly delivered one with his incredible journey from working at Dick’s Sporting Goods to making his unexpected debut for the St. Louis Cardinals this week.

Standing tall at 6-foot-7, Roycroft went undrafted out of college and spent two years playing independent baseball before catching the eye of the major leagues. And now, his jersey is even poised to be sold at the very store where he used to work.

Roycroft’s debut for the Cardinals was nothing short of impressive. In front of his emotional family, he threw one inning, struck out two batters, and gave up a run against the New York Mets. It was a moment he had dreamed of since he was just 4 years old.

“It’s the moment you always dream of when you are 4 years old,” Roycroft told Bally Sports. “I was a bit nerve-wrecked from the beginning in the bullpen just sitting there. And then once I got the call it kind of clicked and I was just relaxed from that point. And then once I got into the game it’s just like any other game. You just do your job at that point.”

But Roycroft’s journey to the major leagues was far from conventional. Before making it to the big leagues, he worked as a customer service specialist at Dick’s Sporting Goods and even as a delivery driver for Jimmy John’s to make ends meet. He went undrafted out of college but never gave up on his dream of playing professional baseball.

“I started as a D-III guy… I really fell in love with baseball,” Roycroft said. “Once independent ball hit, that gave me the confidence I needed that I knew I could play at a professional level.”

And play at a professional level he did. After signing with the Cardinals farm system in 2022, Roycroft worked his way up to Triple-A before finally making his MLB debut this week. And he made sure to make an immediate impact, striking out the first batter he faced.

“I was thrilled. I’ve been waiting for that moment for a long time,” Roycroft said. “To have that under my belt is really awesome.”

Roycroft’s call-up to the majors was a dream come true, and he described it as “very surreal.”

“I had a good amount of time to decompress after the game last night,” he said. “I couldn’t fall asleep, I was so amped up. I kept pinching myself thinking it was a dream.”

From working at Dick’s Sporting Goods to having his jersey sold there, Chris Roycroft’s journey to the major leagues is one that proves hard work and determination can truly pay off. And who knows, maybe one day his jersey will be hanging in the rafters of a Hall of Fame.