The Nutshell: Lessons in Fatherhood

Anyone working in baseball will tell you it can take time away from home or your family.

Flying Squirrels pitcher Nick Morreale experienced this early in high school when he played summer baseball. Born in Minneapolis, Minn., Morreale spent select summers in Atlanta on the club baseball circuit.

He couldn’t sleep in his childhood bed, just the one available in his host family’s house. The time away from his Minnesota roots taught him independence early.

“I was sort of used to being on my own as high school wrapped up,” Morreale said. "(Being away) was not as big of a shock. I liked my space, the autonomy and the responsibility of taking care of myself.”

Morreale went down to Georgia to get more baseball in due to the limited season in his hometown. The high school season started in the middle of April and would go by quickly. Tryouts were held indoors, including taking ground balls off a hardwood gym floor.

During his sophomore year, there so much snow lingering from the winter, the majority of his gamedays were doubleheaders.

Game days were long that season, but Morreale was content with the hours.

“We were playing a lot of doubleheaders multiple times a week and I was getting out of school at noon, and it was awesome,” Morreale said. “I was thinking ‘man, what’s better than this? I go to school for four hours and go play baseball.’”

Morreale continued his baseball season after the summer by competing with another club team in Minnesota during the fall. Nearly every weekend was spent at a travel tournament out of state to keep up with competition and get noticed by scouts.

Heading into his senior year, Morreale was looking into post-graduate routes when his younger sister found a soccer camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The Morreale family found the academy had a post-graduate baseball team that could provide extra eyes.

That post-graduate year contained over 20 games in the fall and nearly 60 in the spring, comparable to a college baseball schedule.

He then committed to Georgetown, still over 1,000 miles away from his hometown.

“My only goal when I was in high school was to get an opportunity to play in college,” Morreale said. “I guess I didn’t really understand the track that would take me on, or the different places I would get to see. That’s definitely an added bonus, being able to experience living in all these different places.”

His baseball career continued in 2019 when the San Francisco Giants chose Morreale with their 14^th round pick. The COVID-19 pandemic swiped away baseball from him in 2020, but Morreale gained a precious gift that year.

He and his fiancée, McKenna, welcomed their first child, Aria, on December 7, 2020. The moment Aria was born, Morreale discovered a new light to his life.

“It’s hard to describe, but it really just became real,” Morreale said. “The minute they’re born, your purpose changes. I think your identity changes. It can be a little shaky because suddenly, you’re a new role. But it was great and it’s the best thing ever, being a dad.”

Morreale’s title change of “dad” has done more than just fill his heart. Aria’s presence and their family moments have shaped his baseball career in a positive light.

Through the first three years of Aria’s childhood, she saw dad pitch for the High-A Eugene Emeralds. He also spent the majority of 2024 in Eugene before his callup to Double-A Richmond. He let go of the constant desire to get promoted and focused on his fatherly duties.

“When you’re just a baseball player, you think of yourself as that’s your only identity,” Morreale said. “When you’re a dad, you’re a dad first, so it’s like everything else is free. Just knowing that no matter what happens at the field, I always get to be a dad and serve that role. It helps me play more free.”

Like Morreale’s upbringing, Aria has already covered some time away from Minnesota. She has been to already 25 states and is just 4 years old.

Morreale has fully embraced his newfound role as a father and hopes to build the best life possible for his treasured daughter.

“I hope I can be her biggest supporter in whatever she chooses to do, and I hope that I can help give her opportunities to chase the things she wants to chase,” Morreale said. “I feel like, as a parent, that’s the greatest gift you can give.”

Favorite sports venue? – Target Field, little biased because I’m from Minnesota

Who was your favorite baseball player growing up? – Joe Mauer

What’s your spirit animal? – Maybe a Lion, the beard is helping, that’s what I’m trending towards

What is your favorite dish to cook? – I like Italian food, so penne a la vodka. Maybe some chicken or Italian sausage thrown in

Where did you go to college? – Georgetown

Most inspirational person in your life? – My parents. I play for my daughter, Aria