‘A little bit unique’: Spokane Indians pitcher Connor Staine living, thriving with Tourette syndrome

Connor Staine is just 23 years old but seems mature beyond his years.

That growth process was sped up along the way by overcoming challenges – some not of his doing, and some very much his responsibility.

Now when he steps on the mound in a baseball game, he carries a hard-earned confidence .

“All that belief I have in myself is now coming to fruition and like the world works, it just falls out of your hands sometimes and it’s just out of your control,” Staine said last week at Avista Stadium. “But I think it’s allowed me to kind of keep that underdog mentality, even with how things are working now.”

This season with the High-A Spokane Indians, Staine is 4-5 with a 4.72 ERA in 17 appearances, 16 starts. He has 81 strikeouts in 74⅓ innings. It’s been something of an up-and-down season, but in 10 of his appearances he’s allowed two or fewer runs.

As with many young pitchers, the talent is there. It’s a matter of bringing more consistency each time out.

“If you make a mistake, most guys are gonna hit it, especially the ones who have the ability to play in Double-A and so on,” Staine said. “I’m finding the same stuff I found difficult in Low-A. I’m getting slowly better at – but still understanding that it’s gonna be part of the game in High-A.”

Indians pitching coach Blaine Beatty has liked what he’s seen from Staine this season.

“Just electric stuff,” Beatty said. “He continues to develop and have the ability to control the game a little bit better than what he does. But overall just fantastic stuff.

“It’s just starting to come together for him. He’s dealt with a couple of tough outings of late, but that’s all part of the learning curve and him learning how to make those adjustments. I mean, for me, it’s just been one or two pitches for him on the difference of having good outings and just so-so.”

Staine shows a good understanding of pitching and the game in general. He carries a game card in his back pocket with notes to remind him of habits of his opponents, but once he’s on the mound, he tries to let his arm do the talking.

“I’m trying not to think too much when I’m out there,” he said. “I’ll look at the card before they come up to bat kind of know where to pitch them, where not to, what else works. But sometimes you miss your spot and it becomes a moot point and things happen.”

Staine’s ability to persevere when “things happen” started at a young age, as he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome when he was 7. Tourette syndrome is a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can’t be easily controlled.

“It was tough as a kid, because I didn’t understand it,” Staine said. “You know, one day I was, quote-unquote, normal. And the next day, I’m making humming noises and blinking a lot and shaking my head and my parents didn’t know what was going on.”

Staine’s father met with his class at the start of each school year to explain his son’s condition to his classmates and teachers. Still, as with many less-understood conditions, his difference invited a certain amount of unwanted attention and abuse from inconsiderate peers.

“It’s just different. I’m a little bit unique,” he said. “I got a little bit of bullying, but the funny thing is I got bullied by guys who I’m actually really close with today. … I try to have a kind soul and give others a second chance.”

Middle and high school can be a challenge even in the best circumstances, but living with Tourette syndrome presented an opportunity Staine has grown to understand and even appreciate.

“I was super quiet, never was one to initiate conversation,” he said. “And then as I got more comfortable in my own skin, you know, those things – those things stopped mattering. I just started to do what I felt I needed to do to enjoy myself on the field and in public. Even though it was not my decision, was out of my control, I think it was one of the most important things that could have happened for me.”

What makes Staine “a little bit unique” gives him a platform. He works with the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and the National Center for Tourette Syndrome on fundraising and awareness.

“It’s getting the point across that you can do anything with any type of disability, being one of the few guys to ever play a professional sport with Tourette syndrome,” he said.

Staine cited former MLB player Jim Eisenreich and longtime national soccer team goalie Tim Howard as pioneers who succeeded as athletes with Tourette syndrome.

“I just hope I can be the next one on that list and just kind of show the kids that, you know, you can do it as long as you put the work in,” he said.

Staine has channeled that well-earned confidence on the baseball field. He always wanted to be a hitter, but during a camp when he was 13 a couple of college scouts told him his future in baseball was on the mound.

“They said, ‘You have a lot of potential, a lot of room to grow, and a lot of capabilities that can be harnessed and unleashed as you continue to get stronger and bigger.’ And I was like, ‘All right, my dream has always been to play college and professional baseball, so if that’s what the scouts are saying, then that’s what I’m going to do.’ ”

A stellar career at West Morris Central High School in Chester, New Jersey, led Staine initially to the University of Maryland. He received an educational experience at Maryland, just not the one he expected.

“Things were great my freshman year – they were great on the baseball field. I had my struggles in the classroom,” he said. “You know, I had a preconceived notion of how things go in college. And I was severely mistaken. Missing classes, not taking care of my business.”

He was academically suspended and had to work to earn back his scholarship. But while he got his schoolwork back in order, his game on the field suffered.

“My sophomore year rolls around, you know, things just got tough,” Staine said. “I was struggling a little bit. I had a couple good outings but more bad ones.”

He felt a change in scenery was necessary for him to achieve his goals.

“I had a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I decided that I was going to transfer. It wasn’t right between how I was meshing with the team, how I felt my abilities were just lacking. There wasn’t enough, you know, intention and focus on succeeding there for me.”

A good performance in the Cape Cod League that summer led to an opportunity at Central Florida University the next season, where he posted a 1.87 ERA over 12 starts, although his season was interrupted by injuries and blister problems. He was selected in the fifth round by the Colorado Rockies in the 2022 MLB draft.

“I wish I could have been (at Central Florida) for three years instead of one,” Staine said. “But it was an incredible experience and I firmly believe the teammates there and the coaches, they’re the only reason why I was in a first-round conversation for so long. Like most guys, injuries occur and things change. But I think they were so impactful and I still talk to them to this day.”