By: Greg Levinsky
Their baseball careers both passed through Guv Fuller Field, and now they are on their way to Fenway Park. Former Falmouth Commodores Tate Matheny and Nick Lovullo traverse the Boston Red Sox minor league system together.
The 24-year-old prospects are in the midst of their third season as teammates in the Red Sox minor league system, currently as members of the Class AA Portland Sea Dogs. The former ‘Dores share a litany of experiences that bond them, spanning from baseball oriented families to rooming together on road trips.
Both are sons of current major league managers. Matheny’s father, Mike Matheny, is the skipper for the St. Louis Cardinals. Torey Lovullo, Nick’s father, leads the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“It’s easy for us to bond over things that not a lot of other baseball players have in common with our dads and stuff,” Lovullo said. “He gets me on a level that not a lot of people do.”
Matheny echoed the importance of their friendship.
“We’re really close, and obviously we keep tabs on each other on how are dads are doing and stuff like that,” Matheny said. “Nick’s a one of a kind. He’s a great teammate and a guy you enjoy seeing in the clubhouse every day.”
As a rising senior at the College of The Holy Cross, Lovullo joined the Commodores for 25 games in 2015. The infielder is now in his third season in the Red Sox system after being selected in the 20th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Matheny played for Falmouth briefly in 2014 before embarking on an experience with the United State National Team. A 2015 fourth rounder out of Missouri State, the outfielder has progressed through the Red Sox system by advancing a level in each of his four professional seasons.
He appeared in seven games for the ‘Dores in June of 2014, homering in his final contest with the team. Although Matheny’s time in Falmouth was short, he relished it.
“I had a really good time while I was there,” Matheny said. “I really enjoyed the guys and the coaching staff. I keep in touch with some of those guys today.”
Lovullo joined the Commodores on a temporary contract, but played his way into staying for the season’s entirety. He suited up for 25 games in the summer of 2015.
“[It was] one of the best summers of my life, both from a baseball perspective and just overall enjoyment,” Lovullo said.
Growing up the game, Lovullo fully understands the impact baseball players can have on kids. He said participating as a coach at the Commodores clinics highlighted his off the field experiences during his summer in Falmouth.
“I had the privilege of doing it many mornings, and that was one of the things that stuck out to me,” Lovullo said.
As the Cape Cod League brings the nation’s top college baseball talent together, both Lovullo and Matheny said their experiences in Falmouth helped jump start their professional careers.
They utilized their experiences in Falmouth to head on similar paths, becoming close friends early in their professional careers. Despite not teaming up directly with the Commodores, their shared backgrounds have aided both on their path to baseball’s biggest stage.
Through hitting slumps, injuries and an occasional video game battle, former Falmouth Commodores Nick Lovullo and Tate Matheny keep each other grounded.
“Going through the minors is tough, it’s definitely a grind and challenging in every sense of the term from a mental standpoint,” Lovullo said. “Having a close friend like that… It makes it a lot easier.”
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