Latrobe umpire Jansen Visconti waiting for MLB to start

If Jansen Visconti had his way, he’d be calling balls and strikes in Chicago on Monday instead of fishing for trout on Fourmile Run in Ligonier.

Fishing is a new sport Visconti has picked up since MLB shut down the 2020 season March 13 because of the Coronavirus. Who knows when the season will resume?

When it does, the Latrobe native will be ready.

Visconti, 32, will be beginning his first full season as an MLB umpire. He’s been a fill-in the past two seasons. Coincidentally, his assignment Monday would have been the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.

He was one of five newcomers promoted this season. The others are Nic Lentz, Ryan Blakney, Ramon De Jesus and Chris Segal.

“I wish I knew when we’d start back up again,” said Visconti on Saturday. “It’s what every industry and every business is dealing with. It’s just the uncertainty, and when is it safe for everyone to go back to work and what kind of guidelines we need to follow.

“I don’t have an answer, and I don’t really think the office of the commissioner does, either. I can’t speak for them personally, but I’m sure they have ideas for when local and state officials do feel it is comfortable and do feel safe for us to come back. I’m sure they are putting together those plans now.”

Visconti has been a minor league umpire since 2010 and has worked more than 250 games.

“I recently got hired to a full-time staff. I feel fortunate and blessed to have that happen,” Visconti said. “I certainly will have a story for the rest of my life about my first-ever year as a full-time MLB umpire with this pandemic that is ongoing.”

He is part of the Jerry Lane crew. He will work with Greg Gibson and Will Little.

The first time Visconti umpired when he was in little league was age 9. He was playing in the major division and would go to the field and watch his friends in the minor league.

“It was very different,” Visconti said. “I didn’t know what to expect, and I came down to watch my buddies play and they always needed some help.

“Someone asked if I wanted to try it, and I tried it. I think at first it was more fun to have a power trip over my buddies. But as time wore on, I actually I fell in love with the profession.”

Visconti said by the time he turned 14, he knew he wanted to chase the dream.

“In doing the research, I knew the odds are not good,” Visconti said. “Typically, we tell the class (at Wendelstedt Umpire School) where I’ve taught for the past 10 years and where I graduated from in 2010, that one person in that class will become a major league umpire.

“So obviously the odds are stacked against you in doing that research when I was growing up on how to become a major league umpire. I knew I needed a backup plan just in case, so I went to Penn State.”

During his time in college he would come home and umpire high school and legion games.

He graduated in 3½ years by managing his course load so he could graduate in the fall of 2009. He got to umpire school in January of 2010.

By June he was in Viera, Fla., umpiring the New York Mets and Washington Nationals teams in the Gulf Coast League.

“I climbed the ranks in the minor league pretty quickly,” Visconti said. “I got to Class AAA in 4½ years and then got stuck in Class AAA for three years not getting any interest from Major League Baseball. There are a lot of highs and a lot of lows in this profession and career.

“A lot of guys spend more than two years filling in and working in that capacity. I was very fortunate. It was kind of good timing when I came along. There just happened to be more open spots. But that’s like anything in life: Timing has a lot to do with it. You need to be prepared when it does arrive. “

Fishing isn’t the only thing Visconti has been doing the past month.

He walks and jogs to stay in shape, and there are the weekly conference calls with MLB, weekly rule reviews and weekly replay training.

“So we are staying sharp in that regard where we’re still being tested every week so to we have to keep our nose in the rule book and stay sharp in any capacity that we can,” Visconti said. “It’s a difficult job, and we make a lot of sacrifices.

“On the field is obviously very difficult. I think a lot of people are great armchair umpires but actually get out there and do it is whole another story. With technology the way it is, we’re under a microscope every single pitch. Every single play we are aware of that, and we understand that and we look forward to show our abilities.”

Visconti said there is a lot more than just calling a game. There is early morning travel between cities and early morning hotel check-ins.

“There are a lot of challenges that go into a season, but we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love what we do,” Visconti said. “I’ve always loved baseball. I wasn’t the most athletically gifted in that area, and this was a way for me to stay close to the game.”