From Bearcat to Dodger

At Campo Las Palmas, the Los Angeles Dodgers' player development facility in the Dominican Republic, Ryan Whithorn BA'21, MBA'22 helps baseball dreams take flight for his hometown team. His blue and white Dodgers uniform represents more than just his role as infield coach for their minor league system — it symbolizes a journey that began at Willamette where a thesis on Latin American baseball players' cultural assimilation now informs his daily work developing the next generation of MLB talent.

At Campo Las Palmas, Whithorn prepares up and coming talent to eventually graduate to practicing in the U.S. Between workouts, practices, managing the health of athletes, office work, and more, Whithorn is drawing on many skills he learned at Willamette–as a student-athlete, a Sociology major, or a student in the MBA program.

"Most of these guys are international signees between the ages of 16 and 20. It's my job to help them understand the game and develop their skills so when they come stateside, they're in a good position to develop from the minor league system into playing for the Dodgers," Whithorn says.

Whithorn's work aligns perfectly with the topic of his senior thesis. "I wrote a paper on cultural assimilation for Latin American baseball players in comparison to American baseball players once they began professional baseball careers. I knew I wanted to bridge sociology and baseball, and my Qualitative Methods courses taught me skills to conduct interviews as part of our research," he says. Whithorn, in part, was inspired to pursue this project in part because of his mixed Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage. The project gave Whithorn a strong foundation that would eventually help him serve his athletes.

With the support of Willamette Baseball coaches, Whithorn honored his parents' wishes by working hard in class and on the field, despite unexpectedly losing his mom the day he was supposed to leave for his second semester in the MBA program.

"Dealing with grief, writing my thesis, and playing as a student athlete all felt like full-time jobs," Whithorn says. "It was the most challenging semester of school in my life, but looking back, it made me who I am today. I worked hard and went through a lot, but I was surrounded by a vital community. It was such an important time of growth. I wouldn't be who I am today without Willamette."

Eventually, playing on the team as a graduate student helped Whithorn develop the leadership skills needed to take on the role of a coach. He also strategically selected courses from the MBA program, such as Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD), that would directly benefit his career goals, giving him skills to effectively lead a team. Whithorn also connected with his mentor, David Tufo BA'09, who was an infield minor league coach for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Nashville Sounds, at an alumni baseball game. During his final semester, Whithorn began working as an assistant coach for the Missoula Paddleheads, an Independent professional baseball team, which launched his coaching career.

As Whithorn works with young players fielding grounders under the Caribbean sun, he carries with him not just the technical knowledge acquired through years of play, but the academic frameworks and leadership skills honed at Willamette. "My time at Willamette holds a special place in my heart," Whithorn says. "I wear it like a badge of honor. Any chance I get, I make sure people know I'm a Willamette alum."