Although many young athletes have the goal to one day play in the big leagues, few come close to actually achieving those dreams. Aidan Carey, a senior pitcher for the McLean baseball team, recently secured a spot to play at the Division I level for George Washington University this fall.
“Over the summer, [George Washington University] reached out to me. They came to a couple of my games and they liked what they saw,” Carey said. “I went and visited campus, had a great discussion with the head coach, [Gregg] Richie, and I just fell in love.”
Carey secured his spot as starting varsity pitcher at McLean in his freshman year, and after a successful first season he was named for the Liberty District First Team and awarded an honorable mention for the All-Region team.
“In that 2021 season for Aidan, we had a couple of established starting pitchers,” McLean head baseball coach John Dowling said. “[Aidan] was a really reliable option out of the bullpen, and he ended up throwing in [around] two thirds of our games and carried us for a while that year, so he was really critical to the success we had.”
His stellar sophomore year was important for McLean baseball, Carey helped the team to a victory in the Liberty District Championship. The team finished 14-6 in the regular season and went on to be competitive in regional play.
“One thing that is unique to Aidan is he’s so unflappable,” Dowling said. “He never gets too high or too low. It doesn’t matter what’s happening around him, he’s very in control of himself at all times.”
In 2022, Carey was again named to the All-District First Team and All-Region Second Team in his sophomore season, being the only underclassmen in the region to earn All-Region recognition. He was also given an honorable mention for the All-Met team, awarded by the Washington Post to top athletes in the Metropolitan area.
“His skill between the lines is really fun to watch because he’s kind of unique in the way that he attacks hitters and the way he gets hitters out,” Dowling said.
In his most recent junior season, McLean baseball secured the Liberty District title for the second year in a row, with Carey being a leading member of the team.
In addition to his success on the field, Carey’s teammates look up to him as a leader and role model.
“Aidan is a great leader, he is always bringing a lot of really good energy and positive vibes,” junior centerfielder Gabe Pegues said. “He is always taking control of situations when we need it and is a great role model for all underclassmen and everyone on the team.”
Although he entered his freshman year as a quiet player, Carey has taken on a strong leadership position over the baseball team.
“It’s not often that we get freshmen that are able to contribute on varsity immediately,” Dowling said. “It’s been fun to watch [his] maturation from a pretty quiet, reserved kid to someone that’s a lot more vocal now and [is now] like a leader in the clubhouse.”
As Carey looks to finish his last season at McLean and begin his college career, he has high hopes for himself and his team.
“I want to keep playing baseball for as long as possible. I love the sport, so the longer I could play it, the better,” Carey said. “At GW, we want to win games, and that’s what we will be working towards.”
The McLean baseball team is preparing for a strong 2024 spring season with Carey on the roster. His teammates and coaches at McLean have confidence in him as he goes on to play at George Washington University next year.
“I know the amount of work that he’s put in,” Dowling said, “The diligence with which he does that work is going to put him in a position to be successful.”