Astros MiLB Alumni: Jordan Comadena

Jordan Comadena (also known as Funky) was a catcher in the Astros system from 2009 to early 2012. He quickly became a very popular player with the fans, even those who had never seen him play, largely due to his very interactive presence on twitter (@Funky2414). Follow him at your own peril during football season, particularly when his beloved Steelers aren't doing well! One of the biggest changes in his life since he left the Astros system came in a small package. His daughter Kynli came along and wrapped Daddy around her tiny little finger. Jordan shared this photo with his wife Alicyn and daughter Kynli.

Alicyn, Kynli and Jordan

Now let's hear from Jordan on what he's been doing the last couple of years.

Jayne: Can you tell me a little about what you've been doing since you were with the Astros?

Jordan: Since 2012 I have done a variety of things. Right after I was released I ended up coaching in the Northwoods League for the Madison Mallards. The Mallards were the team I played for the 3 summers I was at Purdue. Following that summer I spent a year coaching at Parkland Junior College in Champaign IL. I worked with the hitters and the catchers primarily. With that season concluding, my wife and I moved back to Lafayette, IN, where we currently reside. My primary focus for the next year was to find a way on as a bullpen catcher with a major league ball club. In the meantime I helped manage a gym that a friend of ours owned. I also worked as a sales rep for Chandler Bats. I handled the professional sales in the Midwest. In the spare time that I had, I also worked at an indoor baseball facility as an instructor. All of that brings us to today, where I have accepted a coaching position at Purdue University [his alma mater]. I very much want to be around the game and I am very grateful and excited for this opportunity.

Jayne: What one memory (or more) will you take with you from your time with the Astros organization?

Jordan: Without question, the thing that I miss the most is my teammates ... being in the clubhouse, being on the road ... and just all the day-to-day stuff that went into playing professional baseball. I may be different than most, but I really enjoyed the 'process' ... the weight training, the early hitting, the extra defensive work, catching bullpens ... I miss all of that. I loved everything that went into making up my day at the ballpark. And spending that time with some awesome guys day in and day out is something that I will always remember.

Jayne: What life lessons have you taken from your time playing minor league baseball?

Jordan: Playing minor league baseball teaches you a lot about yourself ... it tests your attitude, your mind, your passion for the game, your time management skills and your priorities. To do things the right way, and to get the most out of all your opportunities you have to be real good with all of those things.

Jayne: What advice would you give to a player whose dream gets cut short?

Jordan: This is a tough question. Hopefully you can look back and truly know you did everything you could do to become the best player, teammate and professional you could be. I will always believe I had the ability to play at the highest level but a lot of things that were out of my control were constantly put in my way. I know, however, I earned the respect of my teammates and coaches who were around me every day.

Jayne: What would you like to say to your friends and fans that you made along the way?

Jordan: I would say thank you. Thank you for the support and thank you for the memories. I still keep in touch with a number of former teammates as well as a few fans from various stops.

Jayne: One extra question in honor of the recent All-Star Game. Since you had the opportunity to play with Dallas Keuchel back in the day, did you think that he was going to be as good a pitcher as he turned out to be?

Jordan: I played with Dallas, JD (Martinez) and Jose (Altuve). To answer your initial question, honestly, no .... I didn't think he would become as dominant as he has become. However, I'm not surprised either. What makes Dallas so great is that he knows exactly what he is. He knows what his game is and what he needs to do to be successful. He has also improved his cutter since we played together and now has 4 pitches he can throw at any time.

JD and Jose are the same in that they play their game and they get the most out of themselves. Jose and JD are two of the smartest hitters I ever played with ... they take a plan to the plate and execute it as well as any player in the game. It was very cool to watch them all in the All-Star game this year.

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Thank you for your time, Jordan. It was great to hear from you again. Best of luck with wherever your path leads you!