For the last four years, Peter Calandra has been a Marauder. Now that he’s graduated, the three-sport star at Mingus Union High School will undergo only a slight shift: Becoming a Buccaneer.
On Tuesday, July 28, Calandra signed his letter of intent to play baseball at Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey. The Buccaneers play their home games in Atlantic City.
Like he was in high school, Calandra will be a pitcher in college.
“I have family back there. I kind of wanted to experience something else outside of Cottonwood, Arizona,” Calandra said. “My dad and grandfather were both there. I guess I’m continuing the legacy. But it doesn’t really matter where I play baseball. I just want to continue playing baseball.”
Like all other spring sport athletes, Calandra had an abbreviated baseball season for Mingus this year. As a junior in 2019, Calandra posted a 0-1 mark but had a 2.42 ERA. In his COVID-19 shortened senior season, he posted a 5.65 ERA but had a 1-0 record with nine strikeouts in 8.2 innings. He also went 1-for-2 at the plate.
By his own admission, Calandra is not an overpowering pitcher. While his fastball gained some speed in his senior year, it was well below average before then. Because of that, Calandra learned to rely on his breaking pitches — especially his slider — throwing it in normal fastball counts.
Academically, Calandra plans on studying business in college. He’s presently mulling two options with that degree. One would be to work in real estate after graduating college. The other would be to study sports law in graduate school.
While Atlantic Cape Community College is a two-year school, Calandra hopes his stay there is shorter.
He noted that he already had a number of college credits accrued during his time at Mingus. With that, he hopes that he can do enough to impress the coaches of four-year colleges while at community
college.
“I want to continue playing baseball,” he said. “I have a lot of college credits, so hopefully after one year I can go to a bigger school and play there for the next three years.”
Calandra credited a number of people for helping achieve the goal of playing college baseball. Specifically he mentioned his father, sister and former Mingus baseball and football coach, Bob Young.
While Atlantic Cape Community College is presently doing online learning, Calandra is still planning on moving to New Jersey in early August, since baseball practices begin late in the fall. Calandra is ready to make a big impression when he toes the rubber in college.
“I’m looking to tear it up,” Calandra said. “I’m going to try to get out there and dominate on the mound. I’m a tenacious
pitcher on the mound, so I just want to get out there and get the job done.”
