By: Frankie Benvenuti

Tyler Jandron is hoping to learn how to ice fish this winter, but it’s something you would expect to come naturally for someone who has proven to have ice in his veins in his baseball career. 

Flashback to September 9th, 2022, Jandron took the mound for the first game of the Frontier League Division Series between the Ottawa Titans and the Quebec Capitales. 

“The night before, I was staying with Zac Westcott, because I had already moved out of my apartment by that time,” Jandron said. “I decided I was just going to put everything together, all of the stuff I had been working on, it was all going to work, and I was going to enjoy the moment. I trusted all of the work.” 

If you’re an Ottawa baseball history buff, you’ll know that on that fateful night, Jandron was virtually untouchable. 

Right from the start, the lefty switched on the cruise control, sending Capitales hitters back to the dugout frustrated repeatedly, allowing just four hits and striking out four en route to a 3-0 win. 

“It becomes a blur, it was flow state,” Jandron explained. “You’re present. I remember the sky, the direction the wind was blowing, the atmosphere in the stadium, and how everything fell into place. Nothing felt rushed, it was all controlled.” 

What Titans’ Manager Bobby Brown called “the greatest game [he has] ever seen” a pitcher throw in his long baseball career, Jandron was able to channel all of his senses into total control - almost like he was inside a cartoon where the hero suddenly becomes a supernatural being. 

“Flow state” isn’t an impossibility, however. That experience is what Jandron believes pitchers in Major League Baseball feel in most of their starts, and it’s their ability to reach that point of focus that allows them to throw 100 miles an hour with exemplary control. 

“That’s the best of the best, they are the people that are mentally [great], and they put a lot of work into their craft,” Jandron said. “I think we’ve all had something like that before in our lives where it feels like nothing can stop you, but I think the best know how to get there more often.” 

That playoff performance went a long way to garnering additional attention for Jandron, who made a move to the American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes last season. In a league with older, more experienced players, the Michigan native faced talented opposition, and got to learn from different teammates. 

“I wanted to challenge myself and see what other leagues are about,” Jandron said. “There was a really good culture in Winnipeg.” 

In 27 games - 10 of which were starts - Jandron pitched 79.1 innings to the tune of a 5.67 ERA, and a 1.55 WHIP. It wasn’t his greatest season statistically, but he firmly believes that it was an overall positive experience in helping him become a better player. 

“I thought it was good for my career,” Jandron said. “My role jumped around, but I wanted to throw, and I got to be in a lot of games. I opened, started, closed, and was used in long relief. I was a bit of a Swiss army knife, but I just wanted to help the team.” 

In chase of a return to affiliated ball, Jandron appreciates his time away from the diamond just as much as anyone else. In the Frontier League, you get one day a week to yourself, but sometimes, that day is spent on a bus. Every time he gets the chance, he takes time to himself, doing whatever he can to ground himself. 

“I love to golf, it’s a good workout that lets you compete in a different realm,” Jandron said. “I don’t take places for granted, I like to be a tourist at times, and I like to step back from the job that can consume you sometimes.” 

When that time isn’t available, doing something with the guys in the clubhouse is equally as important. 

“Even something as small as a ping pong table can let you compete with your buddies and build a relationship with them,” Jandron said. “You get to know the people you meet, and that helps build a culture, which Ottawa does well.” 

Coming back to Ottawa, Jandron joins players including AJ Wright and Evan Grills who brought the club within a single game of the Championship Series in 2022, and the goal remains the same: they want to get back. 

“There’s an understanding that we want to get back to that,” he said. “It’ll be exciting.”