Trey Mancini Has Clean Slate on Fifth Anniversary of Cancer Surgery

Trey Mancini is in Spring Training camp with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he's not taking anything for granted.

Meeting up with him in the clubhouse just to discuss how his spring has been going, the topic quickly turned towards his history with stage three colon cancer, and what that road back has been like. Today of all days, it was a poignant topic for the outfielder.

"It's crazy. My surgery was five years ago today, actually (March 12, 2020). So it's five years. It's the five-year anniversary. So it's wild to think about. And I remember at the time, most of the doctors and people said, five years is the big milestone you really want to get to."

Being diagnosed with such a serious form of cancer at such a young age was a life-changing event to say the list. Following the surgery he underwent six months of chemotherapy. His well-documented comeback was the stuff of movies. In 2021 he hit .255 with 21 homers and 71 RBI for the Baltimore Orioles, the team that originally drafted him and with whom he had his best years with.

That included finishing third in Rookie of the Year balloting in 2017, and a career best .291 average with 35 homers and 97 RBI in 2019, the year before the onset of his illness.

His baseball career has taken downturn the last few years. Last year he was not able to make the Miami Marlins roster and was out of affiliated ball for a year. But he's gained valuable perspective on both life and baseball.

"I think every year that's gone on has gotten a little bit easier and better. And you learn how to live your life after you have cancer. It's tough those first few years after. There's a huge concern that it could come back. And if that's the case, it's not a good prognosis. So a lot of your energy is spent on that while also trying to be a good baseball player."

Mancini's openness about the topic really grabs you when you're talking to him. He immediately takes you in to let you know what he's felt and gone through.

"It's a lot to handle," he said. "So I think now, especially being at that five-year mark and being away from the game last year, too, quite frankly, it just completely changes your perspective. And not that I took anything for granted before, but I just feel like I'm in a really, really good spot mentally."

A good spot mentally has included having a good spring so far. He's batting .421/.450/.526 with eight hits in 19 at-bats, a walk, a double, and an RBI. He's looked sharp in defensive drills, and is always smiling when you see him out on the field or with teammates in the locker room.

Mancini is on a minor league contract with the usual type of opt-out language. But don't expect that to happen if it's up to him.

"I have no plans to opt out or anything. Going into the year, I just really wanted to get back in affiliated baseball and earn my way back up to the big leagues whenever that would be. I'd like for that to be here," Mancini said.

Mancini is well aware of the recent history of players like Kevin Newman, who got an opportunity with the major league team after signing a minor league contract and then coming up to be a big part of the 2024 team.

"I knew probably my most likely course to the big leagues would be something similar to what Kevin did last year."

When informed of Mancini's comments, manager Torey Lovullo said, "it's a story of perseverance, and the fact that he's healthy and he has a great outlook on the game impresses me even more. I think there's a new appreciation he's found for this game and what he loves about it. He can still remember it, but it's been a hard road for him, and I'm really proud of where he's at right now."

Lovullo was especially happy to hear that Mancini has no intentions of opting out. "That makes me happy. We feel like he's on a really good path. Where it leads to right now, at this point in time, it's yet to be determined, but if he wants to play the game, we're going to continue to give him an opportunity, and I think he has a lot to offer this game," Lovullo said.

Mancini is also acutely aware that there are fewer minor league jobs than there used to be before minor league contraction. "Especially with some of the minor league levels getting cut out there's a lot less jobs than there used to be. Back when I was originally coming up through the minors earlier in my career."

With a heart full of gratitude for his opportunity, but still possessing the burning desire to compete and play the game at the highest level, Mancini has gained perspective.

"I've just been taking every day as it comes and improving on things that I can improve on and also appreciating what I've been doing well, too. So it's a great place to be and feel like I've grown up a lot in that way."

"Especially having that perspective, looking back now and basically being retired last year, you have the opportunity to think about what you would have liked to do differently and what you appreciated about your career. So I have that perspective now having another comeback attempt. It's cool, being able to kind of do it with a clean slate. That's me," Mancini said.

A clean slate. That's what life has presented Trey Mancini with, both concerning his health at the five year mark of his recovery from cancer, and with the Arizona Diamondbacks and a chance to play in the big leagues again.

He couldn't ask for anything more.