Conversations with the Herd: Joey Loperfido

By: Brian Frank

Bisons outfielder Joey Loperfido was born in Philadelphia and grew up across the Delaware River in Haddonfield, New Jersey. He grew up watching the great Philadelphia Phillies teams of the early 2000s and was nine years old when his local heroes won a world championship, an event that had a big influence on him.

“I grew up a big Phillies fan,” Loperfido said in a recent interview with The Herd Chronicles. “I think their World Series team in 2008 that won it is a big part of why I wanted to play baseball. I was in fourth or fifth grade and playing Little League. I just remember watching those games with my friends and my family, and just thinking about how cool that would be to be one of those guys.”

Loperfido also grew up playing against his current teammate and fellow New Jerseyan Davis Schneider, who lived in nearby Voorhees, New Jersey.

“I played against Davis in high school, and growing up in travel ball I would see him at tournaments,” Loperfido said. “We were never on the same travel ball team, but he's kind of a travel ball legend in our area. He hit a whole bunch of home runs. I think he was probably the same size he is now when we were 11. So, yeah, he was kind of an infamous hitter in South Jersey – still is.”

Loperfido grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Photo Credit: Brian Frank, The Herd Chronicles

After hitting over .400 during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons at Haddonfield Memorial High School, Loperfido committed to play college baseball at Duke University.

“I loved it as soon as I stepped foot on campus,” he said. “I felt like it was the right place for me. It felt at home, the coaching staff there and all my teammates. That definitely proved to be one of the best decisions I've made in my life and something I'll always be proud of.”

As a freshman, Loperfido led the Blue Devils with a .315 batting average with six home runs and an .883 OPS, earning Freshman All-American honors. By his senior year, he was second in the ACC in batting average at .374, and led the Blue Devils in on-base percentage (.473), hits (77), doubles (19), and runs scored (56). He was also the team’s captain his senior year and won the ACC Baseball Championship Tournament MVP, leading the team to the ACC championship. During his career at Duke, Loperfido helped the Blue Devils make three consecutive NCAA tournaments for the first time in program history, reaching the Super Regionals in both 2018 and 2019.

“I think just all the memories with my teammates,” he said when asked about what stands out about his time at Duke. “I feel like all our postseason games and big wins. That was kind of all the stuff that coach (Chris) Pollard had preached and advertised to us – where he saw the program going when my class and the classes ahead of me committed to go to that school. To be a part of those and bring it to fruition with him, and see that stuff through and set the table for even more success that they've had now that I've been gone is awesome. So, I would say  the postseason wins and celebrations with the team.”

During his time in college, Loperfido also played summer ball in the prestigious Northwoods and Cape Cod Leagues.

“Summer ball is always fun,” he said. “It's a little bit different than college, a little bit more relaxed. I have some really enjoyable memories from both the Northwoods and the Cape. We were lucky enough to win the Cape when I was there on that team in Cotuit. So that's one of the best summers of my life. I grew up vacationing on the Cape with my family on my mom's side. So, to grow up going to those games and watching them and then get to play there was really cool.”

After his senior season at Duke, he was selected by the Houston Astros in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft.

“I was in my living room,” he remembered of the moment he found out he’d been selected. “I was hoping to get picked. I hadn't really had too many phone calls, but the Astros were a team that my agent and I kind of identified as a good fit and somebody that has a good track record of developing players. So, when they called, it was less about the signing bonus, and more about the right fit and right opportunity. So, again, just another easy decision, like Duke, where you’re fortunate to end up in good hands.”

Loperfido struggled during his first stint in professional baseball, hitting just .116 in 19 games at Low-A Fayetteville. He returned to Fayetteville to begin his first full professional season and slashed .304/.399/.473 in 82 games, before being promoted to High-A Ashville, where he continued to hit, posting a .986 OPS in 26 games.

“Those first 19 games in ‘21 was like the worst I've ever played to be honest,” he said. “I played really bad. I might have hit .100. So, I went into that offseason really motivated to make some adjustments to my swing and to use that time off to really work and get my body in a good spot for the next year. I put on a good amount of weight and did some things to my swing that kind of simplified stuff. I was fortunate to come back and have a good first full season.”

In addition to playing outfield, Loperfido continued to play second base and first base during his early professional days. He eventually made the transition to primarily being an outfielder with a little first base mixed in.

“I always was a shortstop in high school and travel ball,” he explained. “I would play center field occasionally, but I think my first full season, it was just a way to get in the lineup more and give me more opportunities to hopefully advance. I always liked playing second base. It's been a little bit since I've played in a game there. I really only played first last year. I love playing second, but I think outfield, at least for now, is where I think I can make the best impact – so, I'll be there.”

In 2023, Loperfido began the season at Asheville, before being promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi where he posted a .940 OPS with 19 home runs in 84 games. In mid-August, he was rewarded for his strong season by being moved up to play for the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys. He ended up belting 25 home runs across three levels that season.

“I just remember how bad I wanted to start that season in Double-A, having finished in High-A the year before,” he remembered. “I was just motivated to show them that I didn't need to repeat that level. So, once I got to Double-A, I felt like I hit the ground running. I give a lot of credit to our clubhouse and our staff that year. I mean Corpus Christi is kind of some tough conditions to play a full season in, in the Texas League. But I think just the guys in that clubhouse, some friends for life, and those staff members and coaches are awesome. I look back at my career and still talk to them pretty regularly now.”

Getting ready to hit at Sahlen Field. Photo Credit: Brian Frank, The Herd Chronicles

Loperfido began the 2024 season at Sugarland, before being called up to Houston in late April to make his major-league debut.

“We were in Reno, and we had won the series and our manager, he just kind of got up in front of everybody in the room,” he recalled of the moment he found out he was being promoted to the big leagues. “He never really did that, so I knew something was up. He kind of started talking and I had a feeling it was about me. But, it seemed too good to be true. He just said, after about a minute or two, that we're going to be losing a guy, and he's going up, and I just put my hands in my face, and got pretty emotional. It was awesome.”

In his second at-bat of his major-league debut in a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, Loperfido lined a two-run single to center field against pitcher Carlos Carrasco.

“I had swung at the first pitch my first at bat and flew out to center,” he recalled. “Then from there, I think the bases might have been loaded, it was a little bit of a blur that second one, but I got a fastball again and hit it to center field for a hit. It was just such a rush. I mean, it was everything that you'd think your first hit would be. It was a cool moment and a cool night with my family.”

A couple weeks later, he drilled his first big-league home run off Oakland A’s pitcher Joey Estes – a two-run shot down the right-field line.

“That one was crazy too,” he recalled. “I had faced him a couple times in the minor leagues in Double-A and Triple-A. There was a really bad storm that night in Houston, so they stopped letting people into the stadium at a certain time. So, it was only at like 20% capacity, and rain was coming in through the roof at Minute Maid. It was kind of an empty park, almost. But, I mean, when I hit it, I knew it was gone. To me, it went out by like 20 rows deep. (But really,) it was about three rows deep into the stands. But that was a good feeling as well.”

In late July of that season, Loperfido was shocked to learn he’d been traded to the Blue Jays’ organization. He was part of the big trade-deadline deal that sent left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi to the Astros in return for Loperfido, infielder Will Wagner, and pitcher Jake Bloss.

“I was definitely surprised,” he said. “I was in the dugout, not playing that day. Just couple innings into the game, they were like, hey, you’ve got to go into the office – and I found out then.”

“It was surprising,” he continued, “but, you know, I was excited to get to Toronto and meet all my new teammates. I knew I had Davis (Schneider) there at least to break the ice. It was kind of a crazy way to end the year. But I really enjoyed my time in Toronto. It was an easy clubhouse to kind of integrate, with George (Springer), having played in Houston, was really helpful. Varsh (Daulton Varsho), who's here (rehabbing in Buffalo) now. My locker was right next to those guys. They're awesome, and they're great role models to look at how they handle themselves and how they go about their work – and I try and emulate that.”

“I feel like I'm fortunate to have played for both (the Astros and Blue Jays organization). They're both first class organizations that treat people the right way. Their goal is to both win championships, so to come up in franchises that have a focus on winning and are willing to invest in their players to do that, I think those are two of the better organizations you can be with. I'm happy to have played for both.”

Loperfido endeared himself to the Buffalo baseball faithful early on this season when he hit a key home run in the Herd’s Opening Day victory over Rochester. He’s continued to be a presence in the middle of the Bisons lineup and believes he can take his game to the next level by continuing to make solid contact.

“I think for me – keep working,” he said. “I think the harder I can hit the ball, the more I can impact the baseball. The more regularly I can do that, I think I'll put myself in a good spot to help the team win. So, just trying to be consistent with that every day, and for me I think that quality of contact is important.”