Zach Remillard had a standout baseball career in the minor leagues but his journey getting to the professional ranks was anything but straightforward. While Remillard never reached the MLB level, his story and the baseball cards produced during his playing days make for an interesting chronicle of perseverance and dedication to the game.
Remillard was born in 1985 in Laconia, New Hampshire and grew up loving baseball. He played many sports as a kid but took a special interest in baseball from a young age. His natural athleticism and competitiveness were evident even as a child. Remillard attended Laconia High School where he lettered in both baseball and football. As a catcher and pitcher for the school’s baseball team, he showed early promise with above average power and arm strength.
Despite some attention from college recruiters, Remillard was not drafted out of high school in 2003. Undaunted, he enrolled at NHTI-Concord’s Community College to continue developing his skills. In his two seasons there, Remillard hit over .300 both years while establishing himself as a leader on and off the field. His 2005 season in particular caught the eyes of scouts when he batted .352 with 7 homers and 58 RBI in 51 games played as a sophomore.
Remillard transferred to Division 1 Merrimack College for his junior year in 2006 with higher expectations. As a key member of the Warriors team, he put up solid numbers while seeing tougher competition on a regular basis. His bat continued to produce with a .315 average along with 4 homers and 40 RBI. Defensively, Remillard showed greatly improved agility and throwing behind the plate.
It was following the 2006 college season that Remillard’s career took its biggest turn. Although he had a good statistical season, he went undrafted again in the 2006 MLB Draft. Unwilling to give up on his pro baseball ambitions, Remillard embarked on an unconventional path – he reached out to independent league teams directly to see if any would give him a chance outside of the draft.
His perseverance paid off when Remillard signed with the Pittsfield Dukes of the Can-Am League for the 2007 season prior to his senior year of college. The Can-Am was a step below even Class A minor league ball, but it provided Remillard a fully professional playing environment to prove himself. And prove himself he did – in 59 games with Pittsfield, Remillard slashed .305/.401/.464 with 3 HRs and 26 RBIs while excelling defensively behind the plate.
Word of Remillard’s strong independent league performance made its way to MLB scouts. Near the end of the 2007 season, Remillard was signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as an undrafted free agent. This signing marked a huge validation after twice going undrafted out of high school and college. He finished his senior season strong at Merrimack in 2008 before reporting to rookie ball to begin his professional career at age 23.
Remillard spent five seasons in the Devil Rays/Rays system from 2008-2012, steadily climbing the minor league ladder. He started at Rookie ball but saw late season action in Single A that first year. In 2009, Remillard got his first full season in with Low A Bowling Green where he hit .273 with 7 HRs and 64 RBIs in 119 games. This performance earned him a midseason promotion to High A Charlotte.
The early 2010s saw Remillard continue proving himself year after year in the minors. In 2010, he split another season between High A and Double A, showcasing more power and improving plate discipline. Remillard was hitting .286 with 6 HRs for Montgomery (AA) before an injury ended his season in August. He bounced back well in 2011 by batting .270 with 10 homers between Montgomery and Triple A Durham.
Remillard reached the highest minor league level of Triple A in 2012 at age 27, appearing in 60 games for Durham. Though he hit only .216 that season, he showed he could still handle the increase in level of competition. After five seasons climbing the ladder non-stop, Remillard’s dedication to his craft had taken him as far as his abilities could with the Rays organization. He became a minor league free agent after 2012.
Remillard’s persevering journey through various levels of independent and minor league ball over nearly a decade make for one of the more compelling stories in all of the minors. Though he never made the majors, Remillard left his mark and provided hope for other undersized or overlooked players trying to chase their dreams. His baseball cards from those years are a tangible reminder of the grit and determination it took to reach the highest levels of pro ball as an undrafted free agent.
From his early Can-Am League and rookie ball cards to later issues from the Rays organization in Triple A, Zach Remillard’s playing career is documented on cardboard. His story shows that with enough hard work and belief in yourself, defying the odds is possible – even if the MLB dream doesn’t fully materialize. Remillard may not be a household name, but for New England baseball fans and collectors of minor league memorabilia, his cards serve as a symbol of one man’s journeyman path that spanned a full decade in the pros.
