Spring Training with the Padres: Student Veteran Lives Baseball Dream

Army veteran Savino Anguiano had an opportunity recently that most baseball fans would take in a heartbeat.  

Anguiano, a student at Arizona State University (ASU), received a taste of Major League Baseball up close, joining the San Diego Padres for spring training in Peoria, Arizona. The Padres, in partnership with ASU’s Pat Tillman Veterans Center, granted a few select student veterans time on the field to shag fly balls in batting practice, meet and chat with several players, and get a peek behind the curtain of life in the majors. 

For veterans in the program, being around the players and taking part in spring training drills reminds them of the camaraderie they enjoyed in the military.  

“This is the third year I’ve been able to participate in ball shagging with the Padres, and each time is better than the last,” Anguiano told Military.com. “It’s an unreal feeling, but also a bit nerve racking. I want to impress the guys by catching everything!” 

Shagging balls in the outfield can last from 30 minutes to more than an hour and a half. Besides trying to impress MLB players and unlock their love for baseball, the experience allows veterans to interact with coaches and players. During his last spring training visit, Anguiano got to catch up with superstars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. 

“Speaking for myself, I grew up watching and playing baseball, so sharing the field with major leaguers has always been a dream of mine and through this program I’ve been able to do it. Padres players and coaches know who we are. They are given a brief at the start of spring training, letting them know who we are and why we are out there,” Anguiano said. This encourages and sparks up conversation about our service and oftentimes how grateful they are for us.” 

Standing Watch at Arlington 

Anguiano is sort of used to unique experiences. 

The Albuquerque, New Mexico native served with the 3rd Infantry Regiment, more commonly known as “The Old Guard,” in Washington, D.C., at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremonial unit guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, participates in military funerals and other special services. 

After leaving the Army, Anguiano enrolled in ASU and became involved in the Veterans Affairs work study program. According to the university, ASU’s student body features the second-highest population of G.I. Bill recipients in the country. 

Jerry Gonzalez, assistant director of media relations & strategic communications, said this past spring training marked the fourth consecutive year the Tillman Center has teamed with the Padres to give student veterans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  

Accepting a Rare Assignment 

After moving to Tempe, Arizona, Anguiano joined the Army in October 2019. He had completed a year of community college in New Mexico after high school, but said he felt lost. 

“I wanted a sense of purpose and some change in my life,” Anguiano said, “the military was there.” 

It led to a memorable four-year stint in the Army, where he became a sergeant (E5).  

His path to becoming an Old Guard soldier was different than most. Shortly after graduating from advanced individual training (AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Anguiano thought he was heading for an assignment in Korea. However, a month prior to receiving orders to Korea, Anguiano watched a video on YouTube promoting service in the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Anguiano was intrigued and shot an email to an Old Guard recruiter. It was brief and to the point, and it changed the young soldier’s future. 

“About a week before graduating AIT, I took a peek at my orders, and they had suddenly changed; I was now heading to Fort Myer, Virginia,” Anguiano said. “No one knew anything about the Old Guard; it was very mysterious, and I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into.” 

But following the first mission with his new unit, Anguiano knew he had made the right decision. 

He came to Virginia in late 2020, when most of the world was shut down due to COVID-19. Anguiano had to quarantine for two weeks, make it through a few weeks of training before receiving quite an assignment – pulling guard duty for President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021. 

“It was my first ever mission in ‘the big Army.’ While my role felt minimal, I felt a big sense of pride in working behind the scenes to such a historic event,” Anguiano said. 

Another memorable assignment was participating in “Flags In” at Arlington.  

“Once a year, before Memorial Day, our unit is up way before the sun, and we march off into the national cemetery with a ruck sack full of American flags with the sole mission to honor those who came before us,” Anguiano said. “It truly was a life-altering event and allowed me to put my life into perspective. For one of the few times in my life, I was truly doing something that was much, much bigger than myself. I was able to participate in this event three times, each time feeling the same sense of selflessness.” 

ASU and a New Direction 

Growing up in New Mexico and traveling south to watch the Chicago Cubs frequently during spring training, Anguiano fell in love with Arizona. So, when it came time to pick a college, ASU came calling. 

Still, even after spending time on campus, Anguiano had a difficult time transitioning from soldier to student. 

“Something I believe a lot of veterans struggle with in their transition to civilian life is being an outcast or not feeling normal. This is exactly how I felt,” Anguiano said. “Through the Pat Tillman Veterans Center, I was able to meet like-minded veterans who felt the same way that I did. I really enjoy bringing veterans together, because I know how it feels to feel isolated. It’s always a great experience to meet and build friendships, simply through a shared sense of community.” 

Last December, Anguiano realized another dream, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership (Project Management). He recently started pursuing a Master of Project Management degree at ASU and plans to become a field engineer and project manager someday. 

But as the MLB season gets underway, Anguiano will be watching and thinking about his time feeling like a major leaguer, even if it was only for a day.