Clay ArrittA sunset shines down on Don Sneddon Field as the last crack of the bat and pop of the glove mingle with the whistles of birds as practice wraps up for the Dons. For Jack Mueller, these moments don’t necessarily signal the end of the day, just a break before his next time on the field. It’s been a long road for the 20-year old Mueller, but tireless, unseen hours spent grinding on the field and in the gym have brought his baseball journey to Santa Ana College and will soon carry him to the Pacific Northwest.
Mueller is a laid back, humble guy, so you wouldn’t naturally guess that he’s one of the best players to lace up his cleats for the Dons.
But, the stats don’t lie.
In his two seasons at SAC, Mueller has become the engine at the top of the lineup. As the leadoff hitter, his job is to get on base and spark the offense, something he’s done consistently. He’s compiled a .460 on-base percentage, leading to 103 runs scored in 78 games for the Dons through two seasons.
It’s those kinds of performances that help a team have a stellar season. The Dons are currently sitting at 33-6-1 and are ranked first in the entire state and 19th in the country. Needless to say, they’ve got their sights on the state championship after clinching their first Orange Empire Conference title since 2014.
Winning a state championship would be even sweeter than usual as the end of the last season left a sour taste in the team’s mouth. The Dons got swept in the first round of the playoffs by San Diego Mesa, and as one of the returning sophomores, Mueller has assumed a leadership role to get the boys fired up to change their fate this season. “When playoffs come around, we’ll definitely be ready. We’re not going to treat it any differently. It’s just a regular game, we just have to go out there and compete.”
Mueller is focused on the present and on showing up for his team. The high rankings don’t change his attitude, and his promising future doesn’t get to his head either.
“I don’t think the rankings mean a whole lot. We still have to go out there every day and compete to do our best.” Mueller added: “Our mindset hasn’t really changed throughout the year. We want every game.”
Learning to bounce back from failures and disappointments is what separates good from great for athletes. This is something that resonates with Mueller. Going into his senior year at Foothill High School, he committed to play baseball at Cal State Northridge, a Division I program, something every baseball player dreams of doing.
These dreams were put on hold when he slid into third base during his senior year, breaking his thumb. The injury happened just a few games into the season, knocking him out until the playoffs. Northridge informed Jack that because of the injury, the college would have to retract the scholarship.
Later during his senior year, Mueller received a call from Tom Nilles, the head coach at Santa Ana College.
Jack and his father, Ed, remember not being familiar with playing baseball at a community college, often referred to as the JUCO route. “We didn’t know much about JUCO,” the senior Mueller said. But after a conversation with Coach Nilles, and with limited options, the father and son decided that SAC would be the best route.
Jack is beloved by many in the Santa Ana dugout and will be missed after this season. This is especially true when it comes to Coach Nilles.
“Jack’s one of my favorites,” he said. “He’s arguably been the best player that I’ve been able to coach.” Coach Nilles added: “I’m excited for his opportunity at Washington. I expect him to be the same dude there and be dominant. He’s a good baseball player. Like, really good.”
Mueller’s teammates shared similar sentiments, including freshman Zach Ireland. “We have a Bible study. He shows up to that often and contributes. And I love him for that. I think he’s just a great dude.”
Sophomore Barrett Ronson put it simply. “He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. Even when he’s struggling, he’s still picking other people up. He’s a really good player, and a great person too.”
An emphasis for Mueller during his time with the Dons has been getting in the weight room. Coach Nilles knew getting stronger was something that would do wonders for Jack. “[Mueller] got on the phone and asked if he needed to go play summer ball,” Nilles said. “I said no, you need to be committed to the gym and just get stronger, because you’re a really good baseball player.”
Since then, Mueller has packed on another 15 pounds of muscle, transforming his athletic slim frame into a powerful build. The proof is in the pudding here too, with 43 extra-base hits in his two years with the Dons.
When he’s not on the baseball field Mueller is like any other health-minded, college-aged student. Two of his favorite activities include body boarding and mountain biking. During downtime it’s watching movies, eating ice cream, or playing video games with the boys.
This summer, Mueller will be rewarded with a unique opportunity.
Mueller will be playing ball with the Portland Pickles, a professional collegiate wood-bat summer team with a hefty social media following. The Pickles play in the South division of the West Coast League, which is based in the PNW and Western Canada. It’ll be a different schedule than he’s used to, usually playing six games a week instead of three, though Mueller is expecting some off-days. The Pickles are filled with players from across the country competing in a high-level summer league in hopes to develop, gain exposure and prove themselves against tough competition.
“The fan base there is unreal,” he said. “Getting to play in a city like that, where the professional team they watch is the Pickles, that atmosphere is going to be fun.”
SAC assistant coach Evan Leibl, a former Pickles player, was able to help set Jack up for this opportunity. “I told them if you need an infielder, we have one of the best guys in the state of California,” Leibl said. “It was the most fun I ever had playing, and I think it’ll be a great experience for him.”
Something Mueller is hoping to focus on this summer is simply enjoying his time. “Staying with the host family is going to be a great experience,” he said. “Waking up, going to work out with the guys, meeting new guys and going to do cool things with them outside of baseball is going to be fun. It’s gonna be a blast to compete with all these new guys on the field.”
On March 23, Jack got another opportunity to live out his dream to play Division I baseball when he announced his commitment to the University of Washington. “It means the world to me,” he said. “When you spend countless hours working your tail off to keep playing the game you love, it means the world to me.”
Even with the Portland Pickles, the University of Washington and anything that could happen after that, Jack’s eyes are set on the rest of the season at Santa Ana. “Right now, I’m just focused on the Dons,” he said. “Winning as many games as we can, and trying to go win a state championship.”
With that mindset, a state championship for the Dons seems possible. So does so much else for Mueller.
