The former George Wythe High School star recently wrapped up his second season at the University of Virginia and is enjoying competing in familiar surroundings this summer.
In fact, Mabe feels blessed to just be on the mound anywhere.
He experienced a serious health scare during his freshman season at UVa in the fall of 2020 when he was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
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After a preseason practice, Mabe felt some pain and tingling in his pitching hand and noticed that his pinky and ring finger were beginning to turn shades of blue and purple.
He alerted the team’s trainer, Brian McGuire, and soon found himself in the emergency room undergoing tests and scans.
Those procedures showed that Mabe had multiple blood clots in his hand, particularly in those two fingers.
“It was nerve-racking,” Mabe said. “Because I could have potentially lost a finger.”
The clots were traced to an axillary artery in Mabe’s armpit and a surgeon recommended replacing the artery rather than putting in a stint. Mabe underwent surgery that required an arterial patch in which about a four-inch piece of vein from his leg was used to replace the artery in his armpit.
“As with any surgery, you never know what the outcome will be and how he would recover,” said Deanna Kirk Mabe, Avery’s mom. “So we didn’t know if he would pitch again, especially on the level to be competitive in the [Atlantic Coast Conference], but he has worked really hard and is doing great so far.”
Freshman left-hander Matthew Buchanan (Lebanon) was the winning pitcher that day in Charlottesville.
“I was actually really surprised I got a save,” Mabe said. “I didn’t realize the whole three-inning save was a thing. I was kind of just waiting for an opportunity and we had two midweek games that week. I got one and it felt really good, especially to do it behind Matthew, who’s a really good friend of mine.”
Mabe had outings against Towson, Liberty, Miami, Pittsburgh, Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason too.
There are demands and expectations one must meet playing for a program that is one of the nation’s best and competes in the always-tough ACC.
“It’s really intense,” Mabe said. “A lot more goes into it than most people realize.”
He’s hoping to make the most of his opportunities this summer with Pulaski.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Mabe pitched for the Brockton Rox of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League last summer.
“I really just need a lot of reps,” Mabe said. “Hopefully, things will start coming together now that I’m healthy.”
Mabe is 1-0 with a 6.23 ERA through his first three starts for the River Turtles.
“The ability is definitely there and all of his pitches are good, but his routine has impressed me more than anything,” said Pulaski pitching coach Ted Power, a former MLB pitcher for eight teams from 1981-1993. “As far as his preparation for the days he starts and the days in between when he does his throwing is way ahead of anybody I had on this team last year.”
Two strong outings and one rough performance have occurred for Mabe thus far.
“That happens to everybody,” Power said. “Sometimes it’s a good thing, so guys stay grounded. I think Avery’s a pretty well-grounded young man anyway.”
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