\n\tBy Nick Erickson, Media Relations\n<\/p>\n
\n\tPhoto by Rosalyn Zirngible\n<\/p>\n
\n\tIt doesn’t matter what base it is or how he gets there.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tWhenever Daniel Salters gets aboard, whether it be by hit, walk or error, he points up to the sky to count his blessings.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd it’s all genuine, as a unique childhood experience has the Dallas Baptist catcher thankful for a lot of things.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tFrom 1998 until 2006, Salters, the son of Christian missionaries, lived on the continent of Africa in the poverty-stricken countries of Kenya and Tanzania.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t“You don’t realized how incredibly blessed you are,” Salters said. “It kind of gives me a different perspective than other people.”\n<\/p>\n
\n\tIt’s evident to anyone who has interacted with the power-hitting lefty, whose father was a pilot and drove other missionaries to carry out deeds to those who needed it most.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tHe’s always the first one to say hello, his smile is contagious and he evens shakes the hands of the umpire before each game.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t“I grew up with a Christian family, and they raised me to love the Lord, and that shaped my whole childhood,” Salters said. \n<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile his skill is obvious, just ask the baseball he crushed for a walk-off home run on June 20 that found itself on the Carson Park tennis courts well beyond the right-field billboards, his character is what stands out to people in and out of the baseball world.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tSalters didn’t start playing baseball until he got back to the United States, putting him a bit behind the eight ball for someone looking to make it to the highest stage.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter a successful high school career in his hometown of Eufaula, Okla., Salters played one year of junior college ball. That’s where Dallas Baptist head coach Dan Heefner first heard about him.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tHeefner knew his talents were still being developed, but he also knew after a few visits with him that no matter how much he needed to develop some of the more fine-tune parts of the game.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t“But then you get to know him and what kind of person he is and what his character and work ethic are like, that’s when you it was a slam dunk and this guy’s going to end up being really good,” Heefner said.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tBut Heefner, much like many Northwoods League pitchers have now discovered, also sees the baseball potential for Salters.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tHe’s a rare combination of power and finesse. Not only can he hit a ball 450 feet, but he can also take an 0-2 pitch the other way for a seeing-eye single, as he did in the Northwoods League All-Star Game on July 22.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tHe can also hop up out of his crouch behind the plate to throw a runner out, as he did Tuesday at the Northwoods League Big League Dreams Showcase Game in Madison.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd he’s still learning.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t“The sky is the limit for him,” Heefner said. “We’ve had a bunch of players drafted out of our program and make it to the Major Leagues, and Daniel’s right there as far as his work ethic, character and talent level.”\n<\/p>\n
\n\tThat’s mighty high praise for a program that has seen the likes of Major Leaguers Ben Zobrist, Vic Black and Ryan Goins.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tBaseball is a game that tests the patience of everyone who plays it. There will be nights a hitter simply can’t hit anything. There are nights where a pitcher can’t find the strike zone.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tBut Salters learned things in Africa that he carries with him to the dish to counter the frustrations of the game.\n<\/p>\n
\n\t“In baseball, there’s ups and downs, and one thing I’ve learned, at least for me, I rely on the Lord, and he has a plan,” he said.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tBig goals dominate Daniel Salters. And not just for himself, but for his team. Heefner said Salters leads by example and brings everyone around him up.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tBut individually, he is going to put in the work to become a first-round draft pick. Salters, who was picked in the 22nd round this year by the Washington Nationals, will continue to hone his game to make that a reality.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tAnd no matter what round he’s picked in or what profession he ultimately pursues, one thing is for darn certain: he will answer the call and lift up those in his presence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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