Cory Joseph Spangenberg is an American professional baseball player, and an outstanding second baseman for the San Diego Padres in the Major Leagues. This Thursday, Feb. 4, he will be the speaker at the Rotary Club of the Abingtons’ meeting at noon at the Inn at Nichols Village.
Cory is a hometown boy, a native of Clarks Summit. His baseball career began in his own backyard with his father, Ken, who taught him the rudiments of the game. T-ball at Abington led to the Minor Farm Team then on to the Major Farm Team in Little League. His father proved to be a remarkable coach, as he taught his son, Cory, how to play the game. Cory’s career took off while in high school. In his senior year in 2009, he led the Abington Heights varsity baseball team to a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AAA state championship.
His college career began at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where he played for the VMI Kaydets. He was named Freshman of the Year in the Big South Conference, but military school brought its own demands. When Cory found that the military focus interfered with his academic courses and his love of baseball, he transferred to Indian State River College in 2011.
In the MLB draft that year, Cory signed with the San Diego Padres in the first round, receiving a $1.864 million signing bonus. Before the 2012 season began, MLB.com rated him as the 81st best prospect in baseball.
While he played in the Minors with the Lake Elsinore Storm in 2012 and the San Antonio Mission in 2013, Cory continued to thrive, honing his baseball skills. The Padres soon promoted him to the Major Leagues on Sept. 1, 2014. In his second Major League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he hit a walk-off home run.
When Jedd Gyorko, the Padres second baseman, suffered injuries in May and June 2015, Cory had a new opportunity to show off his baseball skills. Gyorko was traded in December 2015. Cory was ready for the 2016 season.
Cory has a third generation Abington family. His grandparents, Billie and Ken Spangenberg, live in Chinchilla. In addition to his father, Ken, his mother, Lynne, is a guidance counselor at Abington Heights High School. His two brothers, Zach and Kenny, and a sister, Heather make up a very supportive family. Cory came home to rest up in the holiday season with his family and to prepare for the spring baseball season.
We are honored to have this remarkable baseball player come back home and respond to our request for a speaking engagement.
