Former Randleman baseball player Trey Cooper kept finding avenues to keep his baseball career afloat.
Then came a rewarding development this winter when the pitcher signed with the Chicago White Sox, giving him a spot in affiliated professional baseball.
“It’s crazy how it worked and when it worked,” Cooper said. “I didn’t know when it would happen or if it would happen.”
Cooper, 24, is with a pro organization for the first time. The left-hander reported to spring training in the White Sox minor league camp in Glendale, Arizona, at the beginning of the month.
It has been a winding path.
Since finishing his collegiate eligibility with Liberty last year, he pitched last summer for the West Virginia Black Bears in the MLB Draft League.
“I was thankful for the opportunity that I got,” Cooper said. “Whatever they wanted, I would do.”
It looked like he would be heading back toward that part of the country when he signed earlier in the winter with the Washington Wild Things, a western Pennsylvania team in the independent Frontier League. In the meantime, he was spending time training in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, area with offseason workouts that included time at the nearby Coastal Carolina campus.
His connection with former Liberty pitching coach Mike Williams led to more opportunities. Williams, now at Coastal Carolina, was able to guide some of Cooper’s progress.
Cooper said Williams provided guidance and opportunities in scrimmage situations.
“There’s no question he’s one of the best and he helped me get this opportunity,” Cooper said.
By late January, Cooper’s contract with the Wild Things was transferred to the White Sox.
“I’ve been teased a lot ever since I was in college, even when I was in high school,” Cooper said of an opportunity to play affiliated ball. “I didn’t know if it was ever going to happen.”
He’ll be on the minor league level, with hopes of landing an initial assignment with a Chicago affiliate in Kannapolis or Winston-Salem.
Cooper began his collegiate career at North Carolina State before spending the past three years at Liberty. He pitched during the 2022 and 2024 summers with the Appalachian League’s Burlington Sock Puppets, who are a summer college club for players identified as potential prospects.
“After I got done at Liberty, I was trying to figure out what’s next,” Cooper said.
His recent workouts closer to home included training with Jesse Perry. While Cooper said there were times he wondered if he should step away from baseball, he’s glad he didn’t give up hope.
“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve floated around,” Cooper said before leaving to go to Arizona for the first time.
