Like A Second Home

by cody roberts
photos by steve thayer

Tyler Wyatt still remembers going to baseball games in Arizona as a young boy, timidly waiting in line to get signatures from his favorite players.

“I was that little kid that was shy to get an autograph at a spring training game,” Tyler said. “I would stand in the back. The guys would always call me up and say ‘You came here. I’ll sign that.’ And then I walk up and get it — it was the coolest thing because it was like that’s who I want to be one day.”

Now at 29 years old, after being drafted by a Major League Baseball team and now entering his sixth season with the Chukars, Tyler said it’s still the love of the game and all his family’s hard work that keeps him coming back for more.

“What’s more fun than playing a kids’ game and you get paid to do it?” Tyler said. “And you get to be out and free and be on a field, run around and feel like a kid at 29 years old.”

Wyatt said he grew up spending most of his time outside, whether he was playing baseball, football, or just going out to the lake. His interest in baseball stemmed from his father. He’d frequently take Tyler to Arizona State University and Arizona Diamondbacks games when they weren’t playing catch in the backyard.

“We would just go to the backyard, play catch, hit off a tee into a net,” Tyler said. “My dad would hit me ground balls. We’d do fun plays, the diving plays in the grass and whatnot. And then we’d go jump in the pool.”

Tyler said he remembers wanting to play baseball as early as when he was 3 years old, and he played his first season when he was 5. Throughout his career, his family’s support has always kept him going.

“My dad always told me, ‘I saw a lot of talent in you as a young kid, so we just pushed you to the limit as hard as we possibly could.”

Tyler said he remembers his father coaching him when they were watching games, asking Tyler why players were doing what they were doing and what pitch was coming next.

“He would ask me questions, knowing the answer, but he just wanted to see what I had to say,” Tyler said. “So he would teach me that way, and then we would put it into play in the backyard or at practice or wherever we were. Then all of a sudden it was just one of those things where it just became second nature.”

Sadly, Tyler’s father passed away when Tyler was 18 years old. He said that was one of the toughest things he’s ever gone through, and it felt like he was at rock bottom several times. But what kept him going was their shared love for baseball.

“What kept me going the most is like, he’s there in spirit, and I’m going to keep playing this game for him — hopefully making him proud as he watches down,” Tyler said.

In 2019, Tyler was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 31st round of the MLB Draft. He still remembers it vividly. He said he almost fell asleep.

“I was like, alright, I’m done watching this, I’m not going to stress about it anymore,” Tyler said. “And right as I was about to fall asleep, my mom came running in crying and was like, ‘You did it!’ and I was like, ‘We did it.”

Tyler said the experience was definitely a culture shock for him.“You’re in a clubhouse with tons of people from all over the world,” Tyler said. ‘And you’re competing against each other, and you’re fighting for things to show your talents and showcase your stuff. And it was an experience I would never, never trade for the world.”

Tyler played for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and the San Jose Giants before being released in 2021. He said three days later, he wound up in Idaho Falls. Since then, he said it’s become like a second home for him.

He said the ownership, coaching, other players, fans and the support of his host families have made him stay so long.

“The host family I’m with now is outstanding,” Tyler said. “They’re so supportive. Their kids are awesome. They’re awesome themselves. They let me do my thing, and I get to go out and support the kids and their games and do all that stuff. All around, Idaho Falls and especially within the team, has just been like a family. So it’s kind of hard to go away.”

Even as Tyler has tried to get in with other leagues or play in Mexico, when it doesn’t work out, he said he asks to come back to Idaho Falls because it feels like home.

As a veteran player for the Chukars, Tyler said he takes great pride in watching the team succeed — as they did last year, making it to the championship — and watching younger players grow. He loves meeting new folks on the team and learning about their backgrounds.

“Be a part of a team, be a part of something bigger than yourself, and be a part of a culture that’s been built for a while now,” Tyler said. “So I think that’s been a big moment for me.”