This Royals prospect went to drastic measures to inform his parents he was called up

Heath Fillmyer left a ballpark in Reno, Nevada, just before midnight on Monday, hours after receiving the best news of his professional life.

A promotion to the major leagues. The Royals summoned him to fill the roster spot opened by Kelvin Herrera’s trade to the Nationals earlier in the evening.

Fillmyer, a starter in Triple-A Omaha’s rotation, was eager to share the news with the people he figured would most be excited — his parents, his sister and his girlfriend. But after numerous phone calls to his father and several more to his mother, he could not reach them. Each had already fallen asleep on the East Coast.

The news could not wait until morning, he said. So he requested his girlfriend drive to his childhood home in New Jersey and pound on the front door until his parents awoke from the noise. She obliged.

“She actually had to go over and knock on the door and bang it down a little bit,” Fillmyer said. “They finally woke up and heard the news. It was awesome.”

The ensuing few hours were predictably chaotic — scheduling flights, making traveling arrangements and the like. On Tuesday, Fillmyer’s first day in a Royals uniform, his parents, sister, girlfriend and a few friends were in attendance at Kauffman Stadium.

Fillmyer, 24, received the news of his promotion during the first inning of Omaha’s game Monday in Reno.

“It’s a great feeling — been waiting for news like that your whole life,” Fillmyer said. “Been working your whole life for it. I’m just grateful.”

It grows more difficult now, as Fillmyer attempts to prove he belongs. He had a 5.75 ERA in 13 starts for the Storm Chasers. He will move to the bullpen in Kansas City.

On Tuesday, he took over a locker previously owned by Herrera in the northeast corner of the clubhouse.

“He’s got four pretty good pitches,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’re gonna see if he can throw them all for strikes consistently.”

This story was originally published June 19, 2018 at 7:34 PM with the headline "This Royals prospect went to drastic measures to inform his parents he was called up."