By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — East Rowan senior Joe Burleyson doesn’t know yet if he’ll make his mark in college baseball as a catcher or a pitcher, but he’ll be fine either way.

The important thing is the catcher/hurler is getting a chance at the next level at his dream school — Catawba College.

“I’ll do either or both, anything I can do to help,” Burleyson said.

East Rowan head coach Brett Hatley starred for Hall of Fame coach Jim Gantt in American Legion ball and at Catawba, so he’s always happy when one of his guys decides to stay home and play college ball for Gantt at Newman Park.

“Coach Hatley told me he would call Coach Gantt and recommend me, and I said, ‘Well, if you would,” Burleyson recalls. “I went to the Catawba camps for years. It’s the place I’ve always wanted to go, and I know a lot of people over there.”

Infielder/pitcher Logan Dyer, an East senior who has been one of Burleyson’s neighbors and best friends for many years, had signed earlier with Catawba. The plan is for them to be roommates.

Burleyson had an unusual year in 2023, a split-personality sort of year.

He was the starting catcher for East Rowan and played in every game the Mustangs played.

“I focused on doing a good job as the catcher, but the most memorable moment for me would have to be a home run I hit against North Davidson in the playoffs,” Burleyson said. “My first varsity homer.”

And so far, the only one, but it was worth the wait.

That was a tense game at Staton Field. it was tied 5-all in the fifth when Burleyson, who was perceived as the lightest stick in a loaded lineup, shocked himself, Hatley, North Davidson and the world by launching a titanic, two-run shot. That was the second-round game that East pulled out 8-7 on a walk-off blast by N.C. State signee Chance Mako, so Burleyson wasn’t the biggest hero, but that at-bat in the fifth showed what he’s capable of.”

Not long after those heroics, Burleyson went out for the Rowan County American Legion team.

One of that team’s stronger positions was catcher where West Rowan’s Matthew Connolly and Carson’s Cameron Burleyson, Joe’s cousin, were college-bound veterans who rotated starts behind the plate. There wouldn’t have been much work for a third catcher except to handle bullpens, but Joe also can pitch. He only threw a handful of innings for an East Rowan team that had Mako and UNC Pembroke recruit Morgan Padgett handling the bulk of the mound work, but he did well when he got chances.

Gantt gave Burleyson some opportunities on the mound and he gradually became one of the relievers Gantt could trust in a tight spot. He had a save. He pitched in some big games — against High Point in Area III title game and the win against Cherryville in the American Legion State Tournament.

“The best Legion pitching game I can remember was two scoreless innings against Randolph County,” Burleyson said. “They had a really good lineup.”

When the summer ended, Gantt liked Burleyson and had him on the radar, but had not offered.

But when Gantt went to watch Burleyson throw at Extreme Performance months after the Legion season, he was surprised at how much his velocity had increased.

“I was throwing 88, with a few 89s,” Burleyson said.

So Burleyson got an official offer from Catawba, and now he knows where he’ll be going to class and where he’ll be playing baseball in the fall.

What he doesn’t know yet is if he’ll be behind the plate or 60 feet, 6 inches away from it.

Since Joe’s cousin, Cameron, is a freshman catcher at Catawba, the day may come when the Indians have an all-Burleyson battery.

But there’s a senior year to play before all that happens. Mako and Padgett are college freshmen now, but the Mustangs are still talented. They plan to reload, not rebuild.

One of the keys to the 2024 season could be Burleyson. Hatley has at least six pitchers ready to go, but Burleyson is going to be in the mound mix.

“Joe is one of those coachable kids who never stops working, he’s been in the weight room, and he’s made some gains that have helped him develop,” Hatley said. “His velocity has gone up and he has a good breaking ball. He’s got a very good arm behind the plate, and we’re looking for his bat to come around. This could be a breakout year for him, and we’re excited about that.”

Burleyson is expected to be the regular catcher for the Mustangs, with Krys Hernandez taking over behind the plate whenever Burleyson goes to the mound.

Burleyson really doesn’t care which half of the battery he is assigned to handle.

Either or both, anything he can do to help.

“Coach Gantt has high expectations and so does Coach Hatley,” Burleyson said. “I want coaches to have high expectations.”