FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Every time Fairfield University Baseball graduate Trey McLoughlin stepped on to the baseball field, he always had one thought in the back of his mind: his dream to one day have a chance to become a major league pitcher. This time, he didn't hear the voice in the back of his head, instead it was over the phone. That call would lead McLoughlin in taking the biggest step of his baseball career as he signed his first professional contract with the New York Mets. McLoughlin, who was selected in the 16th round was one of two Stags to be drafted by the Mets in the 2021 MLB Amateur Draft.
 
"Getting that phone call is always something I dreamed about," McLoughlin said. "Every time I go on a baseball field it's always in the back of my head so actually getting that call was pretty exciting. There was a lot of range of emotions. It was everything I could imagine, I was almost speechless in the moment."
 
McLoughlin appeared in five starts in 2021 after missing several weeks with an injury. He returned on May 2 to throw two scoreless frames against Siena and would toss 15.2 more frames in Fairfield's historic season. The highlight of his road back to the diamond was a masterful 6.1 innings against Canisius in the MAAC Championships where he tied his season-high with 11 strikeouts while surrendering a lone run. McLoughlin also went 6.1 strong innings in the NCAA Regional against Arizona State.
 
McLoughlin, who graduated from Fairfield in May, will leave Fairfield as the program's leader in strikeouts per nine innings with a 9.11 mark as he fanned 162 in 160 innings. He was named a Collegiate Baseball News National Player of the Week in 2019 after a three-hit shutout performance against Canisius in the MAAC Championships.
 
McLoughlin and teammate Justin Guerrera were the first two Stags ever to be selected by the Mets. McLoughlin helped the Stags to an historic season in 2021 as they became the first MAAC baseball team ever selected as an At-Large pick into the NCAA Regionals. The Stags would win a program record 39 games including two in the Regionals to advance to the Regional Finals.
 
The Fairfield graduate is now excited to take all he has experienced at Fairfield into his journey in the minor leagues.
 
"Once you get that call it's exciting and all that but now you realize now is where the real work happens," McLoughlin said. "I think it comes from growing up in Connecticut and going to Fairfield. Just being at a mid-major school there's a lot of challenges that come with that, a lot of grittiness. So it's something that is already in my blood."
 
McLoughlin will report to the Florida Complex League Mets one of the Mets rookie-affliates.