Kevin McGonigle Reveals What Was Going Through His Mind During Historic MLB Debut

The moment Kevin McGonigle had dreamed about his entire life finally arrived Thursday afternoon at Petco Park. And like most 21-year-olds stepping into their first Major League game, the Detroit Tigers’ top prospect felt it immediately. “I was nervous,” McGonigle admitted via the Detroit Free Press.

There was no hiding it. No attempt to downplay the magnitude of the stage. A sellout crowd.

Opening Day. A matchup against a proven big-league arm. It was everything a young player imagines, and everything that can overwhelm him.

But what happened next is what made McGonigle’s debut so telling. “It’s weird,” he said. “Right when I started my load to hit, it just went away.