Your substitute teacher is a minor league baseball pitcher

Carson Chapel and Paul Kercher|February 11, 2022

Carson Chapel

Baldwin alum Sean Kealey has been a substitute teacher at the high school for the past few months, but over the summer he was on the pitching mound in Wisconsin, getting his first shot as a reliever in the minors during his first season in High A baseball for the Peoria Chiefs.

Baldwin alum Sean Kealey has been a substitute teacher at the high school for the past few months, but over the summer he was on the pitching mound in Wisconsin, getting his first shot as a reliever in the minors during his first season in High A baseball for the Peoria Chiefs. 

“It was an extra inning game and it was the 12th inning. I was the only one available,” Kealey said. “I closed it. I got two strikeouts and a pop-up to win the game in Wisconsin.”

Kealey is part of the St. Louis Cardinals organization, playing for the Chiefs in Illinois. But back in high school, he didn’t know he wanted to play baseball seriously until his sophomore year, having also played basketball in high school.

Kealey knew that if he was going to play baseball at a higher level, he needed to go to more showcases and start playing AAU ball. 

“I didn’t start playing travel ball until after my sophomore year. It was only a hobby until my later years, when I decided to go with baseball,” Kealey said. 

His senior year was a good one.

“I got honorable mention (for all-section) my senior year. I was the captain and that was a good experience. My best game was against USC at their place and it resulted in a win,” Kealey said. 

Kealey then attended Allegheny College. His record there as a pitcher was 17-8 with 169 strikeouts in 160 innings, despite having his senior season canceled due to Covid. 

While at Allegheny, he picked up a good backup plan if baseball does not work out. 

“I went to school for economics, and worked at BNY Mellon. But I am riding on my baseball career,” Kealey said. 

After college he knew he wanted to play baseball, so Kealey eventually landed with the Washington Wild Things, who are part of the independent Frontier League. 

Kealey only pitched four innings and had six strikeouts there, due to a string of consecutive rainouts. Still, last June, the Cardinals bought out Kealey’s contract with the Wild Things and he headed down to Florida for Low A ball. 

“It was a pleasant surprise. I was hopeful,” Kealey said. 

Kealey spent just over a month in Florida, pitching 14.2 innings with a 3.68 earned run average and a 2-3 record. Then last July, Kealey got called up to High A for the Chiefs.

Just like any ballplayer in the minors trying to make it to the big leagues, Kealey has high hopes. 

“I think I have a good chance with my size and being left-handed. The Cardinals always enjoy lefty relievers, so anything could happen. If I keep getting better I think I have a chance,” Kealey said. 

Many high school athletes dream about life as a professional athlete. But life in the minor leagues is not easy. 

“It has been a bunch of long days because there are late starts to my days. We usually play six days a week and get to the field at 2 (p.m.). The games start at 7 and the games end at 10. It is then repeated, so it is a grind,” Kealey said. 

Outside of the baseball games, the living experience has been a little less stressful. 

“At both places (Florida and Illinois) they provided housing, but I had to pay for it last year,” he said. “But this year they will provide meals and they will pay for my housing this year.”

To prepare, Kealey puts in a lot of training work.

“I throw at Cool Springs with Pat Sadler and I lift at PVS (Performance Velocity Systems) with Matt Pilewski,” Kealey said. 

Pilewski, the trainer at PVS, works with many WPIAL players and professional athletes.

“I was an assistant coach at Bethel Park when I first saw Sean pitch for the Highlanders. After graduation, a former player of mine convinced Sean to come in and train to unlock the potential in his frame. He came in that June and threw in the high 70s, and went off to Allegheny College at 87 miles per hour,” Pilewski said. 

Kealey is humble about what he does, Pilewski said. 

“Sean’s self awareness is perhaps his greatest asset. He knows who he is and what he can do. It was when he developed a changeup that he became an elite pitcher. All of a sudden that 92 (miles per hour pitch) felt like 100,” Pilewski said. 

As for his current substitute teaching job, Kealey said he never anticipated returning to Baldwin to work.

“It is funny that I am back here. It is pretty cool to keep me busy while I am not in season. Everyone is really helpful in the process,” Kealey said. 

Kealey’s uncle, John Kealey, a gym teacher at Baldwin Middle School, told him that Baldwin was in need of substitute teachers. 

Kealey’s whole family has supported him in his baseball career. 

“I think our whole family helped Sean take his skills further by supporting him and going to games. … I think that made him more determined to take it to the next level,” his uncle said. 

The students at Baldwin sometimes fascinate over Kealey’s height, which is 6 feet, 7 inches. 

“If the kids ask about me, I usually tell them about how I play baseball, but I just keep it to myself. Nothing to brag about – it’s my job,” Kealey said. 

Kealey also has been a substitute at South Park, and has had some students who train at PVS in his classes there, Pilewski said.

“It is not uncommon for me to look out of the corner of my eye and see him giving advice, showing a drill, or rooting on a younger player. He has been the teacher for many of our kids and it’s been fun to watch him go from ‘Mr. Kealey’ by day to ‘Sean’ at night when they train beside him,” Pilewski said.

Pilewski is proud of where Kealey has come from, and how Kealey is one of his success stories.

“Sean Kealey is a prime example of what is possible if you’re willing to put in a tremendous amount of effort over a long period of time. It’s been a pleasure to work with Sean and get to know him,” Pilewski said. 

Kealey’s family also is proud of him, John Kealey said. 

“To see Sean in a baseball uniform with a major league logo on it and the Kealey name on it is one amazing sight. He is living a lot of kids’ dreams by playing baseball in the Cardinals’ system. Every athlete who plays a sport envisions themselves at a professional level,” John Kealey said. 

Sean Kealey is wrapping up his work as a substitute teacher today.

“I enjoyed it. It was different every day because there are never the same interactions,” he said. 

Next week, he will leave to start preparing for another year of minor league baseball.

“I would like to get to Double A this year, but if I don’t, my goal is to get my WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) lower. I also want to enjoy the time and see new places,” Kealey said.