“You’re about to make history. Let’s Go Blue,” Shinn told him.
Eshleman was about to do what no other Hamiltonian had done: contract with a Major League Baseball organization — the Toronto Blue Jays. (Stephen Royce, Class of 1914, worked out with the New York Giants in 1914, but never signed.)
Crossroads & Commitment
Just a year earlier, Eshleman and Shinn were strangers. Eshleman, then a rising junior with a dream of playing professional baseball, knew how rare it was for Division III players to get recruited and was considering transferring to a Division I program to give himself the best opportunity. Meanwhile, Shinn, an attorney, advisor, and MLB Players Association (MLBPA) Certified Player Agent, noticed Eshleman’s name in the NCAA transfer portal with a recently inked commitment to Rutgers.
Curious about the talented player, Shinn contacted Hamilton Baseball Coach Tim Byrnes and other young alumni he knew, who all spoke highly of Eshleman and his talents. Shinn offered himself as a resource, and Eshleman took him up on that just weeks later when he came to a crossroads and needed advice.
“What if I stayed at Hamilton?” the 6’2” right-handed hurler asked. “How much would that hurt my chances of playing professionally?”
“That’s when I knew that Jack was a very different kind of player — in a good way. He’s someone special.”
Shinn — a bit shocked — shared his best advice: “I told Jack it’d be much more difficult and it was going to cost him,” he recalled. “He wasn’t going to pay tuition [at Rutgers], and he was at Hamilton. It was going to be much more difficult as a Division III player to get exposure. It melted my heart because he didn’t want to leave the community he built here. But I didn’t know how much I could help him if he stayed.”
Other factors were working against Eshleman, including how expensive it is to draft underclass students and amateurs with eligibility remaining. Since it’s nearly impossible for players to attend school and play simultaneously, teams are required to set aside funds for the player to use when they are able to complete their degree.
What was working for the young Continental, according to Shinn, was his character, his talent, and a community of support. Eshleman chose to return to the Hill for his junior year.
“That’s when I knew that Jack was a very different kind of player — in a good way,” Shinn said. “He’s someone special.”
Precision On & Off the Mound
Eshleman, a computer science major, approaches life like he does pitching: thoughtfully, precisely, and with focus. He identifies his target, evaluates what it’s going to take to hit it, and invests every ounce of effort he has. When he’s on the mound, Eshleman uses his deep understanding of the art of pitching and his elite-level inverted vertical break (21.2”) and fastball spin rate (2,300+ RPMs) to his advantage.
In just three seasons with the Continentals, the all-NESCAC and all-region pitcher ended up second on the program’s all-time list with 162 strikeouts in 122.2 innings pitched. He won nine games and lost just four in his career and posted a team-record 2.57 earned run average.
Those details may make his return to Hamilton that much more surprising, but it felt right to Eshleman. His dream still felt within reach.
“I knew what I would be giving up at Hamilton — my friends, coaches, the school, and everything that it had to offer,” he said. “I wanted to come back. I just knew Hamilton was my home.”
Instead of closing doors, Eshleman’s decision ended up opening them. Following a standout junior season with the Continentals, several major league organizations were interested — some even more so once they learned his story.
“His affinity for Hamilton and his commitment to giving back what the College gave to him came up quite a bit in conversations,” Shinn explained. “It’s a testament to his character. There aren’t many 20-year-olds who act like Jack.”
Eshleman was ready to accept an offer during the 2024 MLB draft in July, but wanted to make sure it was with a club that aligned with his values and had a solid track record for developing Division III players. He compiled a list of questions that guided his research. He also leaned on Shinn, who not only provided expertise and guidance, but had also become a mentor who was invested in the player’s success beyond baseball. When the draft came and went, Shinn’s words of encouragement kept Eshleman upbeat during the signing window leading up to the Aug. 1 deadline.
“John told me, ‘You have a real shot here. Just keep doing your thing, stay healthy, and keep grinding,’” Eshleman said.
Then the call came.
Rooted in Community
Eshleman has felt the support of Hamiltonians since his high school baseball days, long before he wore the buff and blue. The coach for his summer team was former Hamilton player Alex Pachella ’15, who ultimately connected him with Byrnes. Since then, Eshleman and his Continentals teammates have benefitted from the program’s passionate and invested coaching staff and alumni network, which helped equip the Loop Road Athletic Complex with TrackMan, a high-tech system used to track player and ball movements — a rare tool among Division III baseball programs.
“It just shows you how strong this Hamilton community is,” Shinn said. “There are a lot of people supporting the program, and a lot of people rooting for Jack. He is a trailblazer, and I am overwhelmed and honored that I’ve played a role in helping him. Our Hamilton connection makes it that much more rewarding and special.”
Eshleman plans to spend the winter months getting stronger so he can hit the ground running with the Florida Complex League Blue Jays in Dunedin come spring. “I’m grateful for everyone who supported me,” he said, already focused on the work ahead. But he has another goal, too: “I still have one year left to graduate, and I want to earn my degree from Hamilton.”
