There was a time when Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitcher Blake Barker downplayed the baseball accolades of his father.

Barker would hear the tales told by family and friends, and while impressed, Barker thought that there was maybe a bit of exaggeration to the stories.

“I mean, I thought it was great and all, but I thought they were just telling me stories to make my father look cool,” Barker said. “As I got older and I started going to (Cleveland Indians) games with my dad, and we’d be sitting there and guys like Mike Hargrove would start telling me stories. I was like, ‘Wow, this is real.'”

Real, indeed.

Barker is the son of legendary Indians pitcher Len Barker, who enjoyed a 12-year career in the big leagues. Len played for Texas, Cleveland, Atlanta and Milwaukee. He is best known for the perfect game he threw on May 15, 1981, at Municipal Stadium against Toronto while with the Indians.

Len Barker remains the last Cleveland pitcher to toss a perfect game.

“I guess to a lot of people around me, he is Len Barker,” Blake said. “To me, he was just always dad. As the years went on, I began to appreciate more and more what he accomplished as a Major League player. I sit back now and I’m in awe at what he did as a player, but he’ll always be dad first in my eyes.”

Blake is a 2021 graduate of Chardon High School, where he was a standout both on the gridiron and the baseball diamond. He was part of the Hilltoppers’ 2020 football team that went 12-0 and captured a Division II state championship. Chardon’s baseball team, which included Blake’s younger brother, won a state title in 2022.

“I had so much fun playing on those teams,” Blake said. “We won the state (football) title during COVID. Lots of crazy things going on and we just all stuck together and we were a true team that were like a family from start to finish.

“I had a blast.”

In the title game, Blake hauled in touchdown passes of 63 and 36 yards to help lead Chardon to a 31-28 double-overtime win over St. Francis DeSales.

Still, when it came to a future in sports, there was never any doubt. Blake says there are family pictures that include him as an infant wearing a baseball helmet and a glove. Some of his fondest memories include the entire family sitting around the television set watching baseball games.

“Seriously, from birth, I was a baseball guy,” Blake said. “My dad was always there to help, but he never once put pressure on me to play. I think that’s a huge reason why I love the game so much.”

Blake began his college career at Seton Hill, a Division II school outside of Pittsburgh. There, he was a two-way player. Along with pitching, he also spent ample time in the outfield. Following a strong sophomore year, he entered the transfer portal and finished out his career at the University of Virginia, solely as a pitcher. He was part of the 2024 Cavaliers team that advanced to the College World Series.

“Going to Omaha was an awesome experience, something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Blake said. “I had two great coaches in Marc Marizzaldi (Seton Hill) and Brian O’Connor (Virginia) – two incredible role models. In fact, my biggest takeaway from my college playing career would be that I was fortunate enough to be able to play for those guys and learn from them.”

Blake knows he is also fortunate to have a built-in role model and teacher of the game who he can turn to at any given moment. Blake says he learned “the art of pitching” from his dad. More importantly, he learned valuable baseball lessons that carry him through his ongoing career.

“My dad always reminds me that bad things are going to happen, you might make your best pitch of the night, and a batter might just stick his bat out and get a base hit,” Blake said. “In this game, you have to have a short memory. If you give up a hit or give up a walk on a borderline call, you have to flush it and move on. You get to decide the next at-bat.

“Mentally, baseball is a tough game. I don’t think I would have gotten this far without the support and advice I’ve received from my dad.”

Blake earned a degree in American studies, but he was also enrolled in a pre-med program while at Seton Hill. He plans to enroll in med school once his baseball career comes to an end.

“Hopefully, that’s a long time down the road, I want to keep playing this game for a while at the next level,” Blake said. “But I’ve always loved math and science. I definitely want to continue down the medical path in the future.”

For now, Blake is hoping that his time with the Scrappers leads to a free-agent signing or a stint with an independent league team. But what about a chance to duplicate his dad’s perfection?

“Well, honestly, that’s the furthest thing from my mind,” Blake says with a laugh. “I think I might have been involved in a combined no-hitter in Little League, I’m not sure. That would be the closest I’ve ever come to a perfect game.

“The more I play this game, the more I appreciate what my dad was able to accomplish. I don’t mind living in that shadow.”