Neal: Baseball Day Minnesota an opportunity for Buffalo’s Tyson Moore to showcase his gifts

DELANO, MINN. – There can’t be many backdrops as quaint and inviting as the one at Delano Municipal Baseball Park. I just haven’t been to enough stadiums of this ilk to arrive at a more informed conclusion.

There are areas in the stands for sun absorption as well as sun avoidance. The stands along the left field line include a small section of rocking chairs. And bottled water cost just a buck.

My attention on Saturday, May 9, was drawn to the outfield fence, which is woven with ivy still yet to bloom. And a row of trees, some reaching as high as 30 feet, are lined from foul pole to foul pole.

That means the Twins would hate hitting here.

Target Field opened in 2010 with black spruce trees beyond the center field wall. They were removed in 2011 at the behest of hitters worried they would meddle with their backdrop, and thus their ability to track pitches.

I eventually found someone on Saturday to vouch for Delano’s park and its backdrop.

“I’ve played here probably like five times,” Tyson Moore said. “I play Legion ball with Buffalo Post 270. It’s really fun. I like the stadium. I like the environment.”

Moore, who began the day batting .351 with four home runs, a .510 on-base percentage and nine runs scored for Buffalo High School, is one of the best prep baseball players in the state. The junior catcher is committed to the Gophers, where he will join his brother, Tristan, who is redshirting this season.

On Saturday, he was signaling pitches for the Bison as they faced Hopkins in the first of four games that were part of Baseball Day Minnesota.

Yup, it is the baseball version of the popular hockey extravaganza that just enjoyed its 20th presentation. The Buffalo-Hopkins tilt was followed by Big Lake vs. Monticello, Chanhassen vs. Orono and Mahtomedi vs. Delano. It’s only the third Baseball Day ever held, but organizers hope many more will take place.

Tristan Moore is a righthanded pitcher. The guess here was that Tyson became a catcher because big brother needed a batterymate.

“Right,” Tyson said.

Tyson began dabbling with the game as early as 2 years old while growing up in Junction City, Kan. His father, Corey, was stationed at nearby Fort Riley. It was Corey Moore and his brother who got his Tyson into the sport. Tyson Moore also was a quarterback and running back before focusing on baseball as he got older. The family moved to Minnesota in 2018.

One benefit from playing football, Moore said, was that it helped his throws on the diamond when he trying to erase baserunners.

“I honestly think that throwing the football is really good for you,” Moore said. “You see someone like [Pittsburgh Pirates ace] Paul Skenes, and he throws a football. It helps in getting that footwork in and that throwing motion really down and on point.”

Moore showed off his arm in the second inning Saturday when he noticed a Hopkins baserunner on second was getting too big of a lead. After receiving a pitch from Bison starter Nolan Mullenbach, Moore quickly popped to his feet and fired a throw to second that looked effortless. It led to a 2-6-5 pickoff, a play during which the sturdily built Moore showed off some of physical abilities.

Buffalo played at Hopkins earlier in the season, where Moore noticed that the Royals liked to get big leads. He kept that in mind Saturday.

“I always look for things like that,” he said. “I try to think one step ahead.”

Moore is a college baseball junkie, watching as many games as possible. He follows Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, in particular, because they both have similar athleticism.

I was waiting to see a branch-breaking home run into the trees from Moore, but he walked, struck out looking, was hit by a pitch and flied out to center in four plate appearances. He was batting leadoff for the first time this season.

But the opposing catcher, Dylan Lindstrom, found the trees twice and was named player of the game as Hopkins won 9-4.

“We just had a pitcher miss a spot right down the middle,” Moore said. “And hitter’s counts. Can’t really do that, right? And [Lindstrom] is a good hitter.”

Moments after speaking with Moore, Lindstrom walked by. He was told the Buffalo pitcher missed his spot.

“By just a little,” Lindstrom said with a grin.

By then, the stadium announcer was previewing the second game. It was 57 degrees with plenty of sun, and a good crowd was on hand to enjoy a prep baseball showcase.