Troy Dressler was in trouble for the first time all night. The Brewster Whitecaps had runners on first and second with just one out in the fifth inning, down 5-0. Riding high after a walk-off win in the regular season finale against Orleans, Brewster was hungry to win its first playoff game since 2023.

After falling behind 2-0 against Jacob Jerrell, Harwich Mariner pitching coach Hunter Dilworth came out to chat. Rather than break down the right-hander’s mechanics, the two kept the conversation simple.

“He said ‘Think positive. Things are going to work out,’” Dressler said.

That’s all Dressler needed to bear down and get through the inning. He forced the next three batters to hit ground balls, getting Harwich out of the inning allowing just one run.

The rising sophomore at Wake Forest picked up the win in Harwich’s 10-2 victory over Brewster in Game 1 of the opening round of the Cape Cod League Playoffs. For a kid who arrived on the Cape under-the-radar and expected to be a bullpen arm, it’s a mark of how quickly he has risen.

Back in June, Dressler arrived on the Cape as a relative unknown. He threw just 8.1 innings during his freshman year at Wake Forest and finished with a 5.40 ERA. Veterans Jake McCoy, Freddie Rodriguez, and Evan Dempsey were immediately penciled in to man the starting rotation.

He showed up to the field expecting to continue his role as a reliever. His first outing was rough. The Wareham Gatemen scored three runs on him in just 1.1 innings of work. He threw a wild pitch to score a run, he walked three guys, and gave up four hits.

It could have been a sign of a long summer for the pitcher from Mifflinburg, PA, instead the outing served as a catalyst to make changes.

A change in mindset

Dressler didn't take the mound during the second week of the season. The Mariner coaching staff used that time to simplify his approach.

He made his return on June 29th against the Bourne Braves. For the first time all year he went three innings, giving up no runs or hits. After the game, his teammates bestowed the coveted Cadillac chain, given to a key player after every win.

Even though the season was still young, it was a confidence boost for the young pitcher to see his new teammates and coaches trust in him.

“The kid hadn’t pitched much this year,” Steve Englert said. “He kept working between games and took full advantage of his first start.”

Earning himself a spot in the rotation, Dressler became the anchor for the rest of the season. As pitchers came and left, he proved to be the guy Englert could count on.

Two weeks later, Dressler made his second start against the Braves. Even with the full scouting report, Bourne still couldn’t break through. The pitcher broke six innings and struck out five. More importantly, ended a two-game losing streak for the Mariners to keep them above .500.

Now with three starts under his belt, Dressler was seeing his work in practice on full display and the success that came with it.

“When you are able to see things happen in real time that work and feel good, it’s easy to call attention to the idea and reinforce it throughout practice,” pitching coach Ryan Parker said. “He saw it, felt it, felt positive about it. He implemented a plan to keep it that way for a number of weeks.”

The 19-year-old’s competitiveness also grew during that second start. In his final inning, the Braves had men on the corners with two out. In what was a tie game at that moment, Englert walked out to the mound, indicating that Dressler’s day was likely over.

“He said ‘We are going to go with a reliever here,’” Dressler recalled. “I said, “No, I want the last batter.’ I wanted it and it worked out.”

For an old-school coach like Englert, it was great to see a young pitcher wanting to have the ball in his hands when it mattered most. He said he likes to see how guys react when he gauges their energy level. If they say “they want to stay in with conviction” then he will let pitchers keep going.

“He earned it,” Englert said.

After a walk, Dressler got the groundout he needed to escape the jam, energizing the team to the victory. While that moment gets lost during the long regular season, fighting through adversity pays off in the long run.

His final start came on the final Sunday of July in a heated race for the division title. Harwich held first place by just two points over the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, who were visiting that day, with seven games left to play.

Needing a win to hold onto first, the Mariners couldn’t afford to lose against their division rival. Dressler got the nod in front of a packed crowd at Whitehouse Field.

In a preview of what was to come, he delivered for the Mariners in a big game. He pitched five scoreless innings, struck out six, and surrendered just two hits.

“For his experience and for what’s doing for his maturation process it’s huge,” Parker said on Dressler’s big game performance. “It’s going to pay off for him personally and for when he goes back to school.”

Just a few days later, Englert and the staff notified Dressler his next start would be pushed back for the first game of the playoffs.

With the stakes raised higher, the Demon Deacon elevated as well. After striking out the side in the first inning, he walked back to the dugout with a calmness that showed it wasn’t the first time he was in a big game.

It was a full circle moment. Going from a kid happy to just be at the Cape, to an ace poised for the big time.