In '22, a cancer diagnosis. In '24, a lat injury. In '25? Enright seeks MLB debut

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Nic Enright stood in right field of Field 2 at the Guardians¡¯ player development complex on Thursday, playing catch among his teammates. It was part of the daily routine in camp, and an important aspect of his build-up as he recovers from a right lat strain.

That regular moment was also reflective of Enright¡¯s story of overcoming incredible adversity. A little more than two years ago, he was diagnosed with nodular lymphocyte predominant Stage 2 Hodgkin¡¯s Lymphoma.

Today, the right-handed reliever is one promotion away from making his MLB debut. Enright is in line to return to game action in April, at which point the 28-year-old could emerge as an option for the Guardians¡¯ ¡®pen.

Enright admits it sounds clich¨¦, but the words ring true: His worst day on the baseball field is better than his best day at the hospital. His support team includes Cleveland legend Carlos Carrasco (his teammate during Spring Training last year), who was diagnosed with leukemia during the 2019 season. Carrasco overcame it and returned to the mound that September.

Shortly after Enright was diagnosed, Carrasco connected with him.

¡°It¡¯s very easy to kind of sit there [after being diagnosed] and feel very ¡®woe is me¡¯ and all that kind of stuff,¡± Enright said. ¡°But [Carrasco] helped get me on the path of, ¡®Hey, I might have cancer, but cancer doesn't have me. I'm going to live my life as much as I can, do as much as I can.¡¯¡±

Enright, Cleveland¡¯s 20th-round pick in the 2019 Draft, was selected by the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 7, 2022. Twelve days later, he woke up with what he thought was a crick in his neck. It didn¡¯t get better, and his lymph node swelled up. He went to the emergency room with his wife, Erin, and then went to the hospital.

¡°And then literally within 12 hours, I¡¯m getting pulled into a spare room in the hospital and told, ¡®Hey, we're 99 percent sure you have Hodgkin's Lymphoma,¡¯¡± he said. ¡°It's just kind of like, ¡®Where did this come from?¡¯ I just got taken in the Rule 5 [12] days ago. I¡¯m throwing bullpens, everything feels great. It's very much just a whirlwind of like, ¡®How is this happening?¡¯¡±

Enright was officially diagnosed with Hodgkins¡¯ Lymphoma on Dec. 22, 2022. He got a port put in on Dec. 26, and described the initial experience over those days as feeling like ¡°you're going down a hill, backwards, on skis, blindfolded.¡±

He underwent his first four rounds of immunotherapy from January to February 2023. He did one round during the All-Star break in ¡®23, three rounds that October and four more rounds in October and November 2024.

The goal was for him to undergo 16 rounds over a two-and-a-half to three-year window.

¡°Hopefully, after Cleveland makes a great playoff run, wins the World Series, I¡¯ll finish up the last round of treatments this November,¡± he said.

Meanwhile, Enright has continued pitching amid his treatment. He began a rehab assignment on April 29, 2023, with Single-A Jupiter, the Marlins¡¯ affiliate. After he made nine appearances between Jupiter and Triple-A Jacksonville, he was returned to the Guardians -- a feature of the Rule 5 Draft.

Enright made 25 appearances for Triple-A Columbus in 2023. He was limited to 16 appearances (one start) with Columbus last year after he suffered a right shoulder strain in April, but he was stellar in those outings. Enright recorded a 1.06 ERA and 31 strikeouts with just five walks in 17 innings.

¡°He's been just the ultimate pro the whole way through,¡± Guardians Minor League athletic training coordinator Jeremy Heller said. ¡°If anybody can handle it, it's him. ¡­ It's been really cool to see his journey and just see how [it went] from getting the news to where he's at now, and on the verge of hopefully making our Major League team at some point.¡±

Just as Carrasco inspired him, Enright wants to do the same for others.

¡°Where I'm at now,¡± Enright said, ¡°I'd like for -- if there's someone else in my shoes, or even just someone who's a normal person going through something -- to be able to look at my story or be able to talk to me. And hopefully I can be that same kind of voice to help guide them along and get them through the other end of this.¡±