Opposing pitchers didn’t need long to realize that sending former Florida Atlantic baseball standout Mitchell Hartigan back to the bench was far easier said than done.
Hartigan, who played locally at Jupiter High, reached base at a .380 clip over five college seasons. Not only did he have pop in his bat, but he’d also occasionally take the mound as a late-inning reliever.
Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, primarily planned on using baseball to get through college.
“I was never really a huge prospect in high school, so I prioritized my academics,” Hartigan told Legacy Library.
“It also felt more controllable than baseball,” Hartigan continued. “You can be the hardest worker in the world and still have countless 0-for-4 days, so having something that showed immediate results that I could succeed in always helped mentally as well.”
For much of his time at FAU, Hartigan didn’t need to worry about going hitless.
Hartigan earned Freshman All-American honors in 2019, batting .322 with 14 doubles, six home runs, and 33 RBIs. He quickly turned heads by beginning his career with a 10-game hitting streak.
“Had it not been for the fact that I was also pitching at the time, I probably would have redshirted my first year,” Hartigan said. “So, once I did get the opportunity to play, I didn’t put any extra stress on myself to overperform.”
Before taking his first college at-bat, Hartigan was perhaps best known locally for taking a pitch to the face during his junior season at Jupiter.
Although Hartigan fully recovered, the injury nonetheless became a key part of his story. Any and all initial media coverage of Hartigan mentioned the fractured orbital bone and subsequent surgery.
But there was far more to Hartigan than a wild pitch or how quickly he found a place in the Owls’ lineup.
Hartigan earned his finance degree in three years, with FAU listing his GPA at roughly 3.89. His success in the classroom landed him on the C-USA All-Academic team and the CSC Academic All-District team.
Today, Hartigan works in the property tax department at NextEra Energy, where he helps negotiate property valuations for energy projects nationwide.
“I can’t say enough great things about the team I work with,” Hartigan told Legacy Library.
Know a former athlete whose story deserves to be told? Contact Legacy Library Sports at info@legacylibrarysports.com.
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