MLB

Mariano Rivera III follows in father’s pitching footsteps

Pat Carey found himself sitting next to Bernie Williams recently at the Waldorf Astoria for a fundraising event, and the topic of Mariano Rivera III came up immediately.

The former Yankees center fielder was asking the Iona College baseball coach about his former teammate’s son, but the conversation didn’t begin with his ability or his progress on the mound.

“How does he deal with it?” Carey recalled Williams asking. “It” was the pressure, being the son of an all-time great, following in his footsteps just 13 miles north of where his father carved out his legacy as baseball’s greatest relief pitcher.

Rivera III smiles as he’s asked that same question, one he has fielded hundreds of times before.

“The way I answer,” Rivera III said, smiling, “is me and him are two different people. He’s the greatest closer in the history of the game. I’m just beginning my career.”

His jersey number is 6 — not 42 — and his out pitch is a wicked slider, not his dad’s notorious cut fastball.

He’s a starting pitcher, not a closer. The two are very close, despite Rivera’s hectic schedule until his recent retirement, and the last name is the same, but Rivera III, 20, wants to avoid any and all comparisons.

“I don’t look at what he’s accomplished, I don’t look at all his accolades because I can’t,” he said. “If I do that, I’ll go crazy.

“I want to be recognized for what I will do and what I have done, whether it’s good or bad. He’s a [future] Hall of Famer. I’m nowhere near that. But with practice, dedication and the drive and passion I possess, hopefully the sky’s the limit.”

There are, of course, similarities. He’s humble — confident yet not egotistical, teammates say, respected because of his tireless work ethic — and bears a striking resemblance to his dad, from his high cheekbones to wiry yet muscular 5-foot-11 build. He’s poised on the mound. When St. Peter’s mocked him by playing “Enter Sandman” this spring, he didn’t flinch.

Rivera III admittedly didn’t take baseball seriously growing up in Harrison, N.Y. He played a variety of sports in high school — track and field, soccer and wrestling. There was never pressure to play baseball. Rivera just wanted his son to do what he loved. As a junior at Iona Prep, his playing time was so sparse — he was mostly used as a pinch-runner — he didn’t play on the team as a senior.

Instead, he worked out on his own, preparing for summer ball. The frustration was a turning point in his baseball career.

“I felt that was the spark to the person, the athlete or pitcher, I am today,” he said.

Carey caught him a few times that summer and saw potential in his all-around ability and brought him in as a transfer after one semester at Quinnipiac. Initially, Rivera III was an outfielder, but whenever he unleashed a throw from the outfield, Carey couldn’t help but think what he could do if all his focus was devoted to pitching.

Mariano Rivera IIIAnthony Causi

After a redshirt season, Rivera III saw action in 11 games last year. This spring, his velocity and arm-strength continuing to build, he became the Gaels’ top starting pitcher, his father often attending his starts in New Rochelle.

“He’s a different player now,” teammate and longtime friend Max Bruckner said.

At Iona, Rivera III has impressed Carey with his work ethic, his determination and desire. He has transitioned from a mop-up reliever to the team’s ace. The last name, the coach insists, never came into consideration.

“If I want to take him out of the game, I almost have to cut his arm off,” Carey said. “He constantly wants to be out there. He’s as competitive a kid as I’ve ever had. Running he wants to be first. Whatever they do in the weight room, he wants to be first.”

Rivera III is considered a fringe prospect, a third-day MLB draft selection, one American League area scout said. He is intriguing, another scout said, because of his bloodlines and year-to-year progress. His velocity steadily has progressed, and he has been clocked in the low 90s this spring, a marked improvement from his high school days.

Still, his numbers this spring — 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA, 72 hits allowed and 50 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched — were far from eye-popping as Iona finished eighth in the MAAC.

“You’re not talking about a front-of-the-line draft guy, but with the late development and the genetics, he’s gotten people to take a little notice,” the AL scout said.

A late bloomer, Rivera III doesn’t have any wear and tear on his arm. Carey compared him to a senior in high school who is progressing, with plenty of upside remaining, and he has a teacher few have access to in his father. Twelve cross-checkers made the trip to see Rivera III throw and scouts were often lined up behind the backstop with radar guns in tow.

“His biggest tool right now is his future,” Carey said. “I think that’s what teams are looking at, too.”

He has lofty goals, and isn’t shy about sharing them. Rivera III dreams of reaching the majors, helping his team win a World Series, reaching the stage his father flourished on. The first step is coming, possibly in a few weeks, or maybe a year or two down the road, if he opts to return to college.

“Nothing’s going to get in my way,” he said. “If I don’t have the talent, then that’s OK. But I know when given the chance, I can make it. It’s just a matter of time. That’s something that one day will become a reality.”