Marcus Stroman Beyond the Ballpark: The Ace’s Alter Egos as Rapper, Author and More

To understand Marcus Stroman’s success, one needs to understand his heart. To understand his heart, one needs to know where he comes from. A man of immense self-belief, Stroman has always taken pride in his warrior spirit. But sometimes only courage isn’t enough. One needs creativity and clarity to escape from life’s limitations. Stroman has always known this and, as a result, has transformed himself into a man of many interests. A man without any limits. 

Everything about Stroman tells a story. From his body covered in tattoos to his wildly unique personality on and off the field. A fierce competitor who wears his emotions with pride transforms into a calculated individual filled with gratitude in the blink of an eye. This is the story of a Stroman outside of baseball. A tale where he’s a writer, rapper, businessman, and above all, an inspiration to those who were once called “too small”. 

Life outside the diamond: Stroman depicts his plans outside the diamond 

“I’m someone who wakes up ready to live and I want to enjoy every single day,” Stroman said to the Chicago Tribune in 2022. Having seen his parents making sacrifices for him as a child, Stroman has always known the importance of the surrounding people. So it became his life’s mission to protect his family and small circle of friends, especially his son, Kai Zen.

“I want to give everyone close to me a life that they never imagined.” – Stroman to USAToday. Perhaps that’s why one of Stroman’s proudest moments was when he paid off his mother Adlin Auffant’s house and bought his father Earl Stroman a Rolex. But after finding success in baseball, Stroman realized that he needed to do more.

“I have visions that are beyond baseball. I want to be multidimensional…branch into brand marketing…into business world…into fashion world. I want a lane in everything.” – The star once shared his goals. So in 2015, Stroman took the first step in this direction by creating the “Height Doesn’t Measure Heart” (HDMH) Foundation, aimed at supporting those who were discouraged from following their dreams just like the 5 ft 7 Stroshow once was. But before this, there’s Stroman’s interesting secret life that deserves some special attention.

Marcus Stroman as a rapper: Know about amazing ‘pitching’ skills beyond the mound

“Marcus always wanted to be a musician.” – Mike Seander, a rapper and his former Duke teammate, said to the New York Post. A bona fide baseball superstar – Stroman has always had an interest in music. But there was one slight worry – his stage fright. Quite an interesting conundrum for a man who regularly plays in front of 40-50,000 people. But holding a mic changes things. “It’s like a completely different feeling.” Stroman said.

Stroman met Seander at Duke in 2009. Both were baseball/basketball players, but Seander started rapping after his Tommy John surgery. Gradually his music started picking up steam and Stroman became his sidekick. Eventually, Seander left baseball and Stroman became a first-round draft pick in 2012. Though both of their careers took a different turn, the friends remained in touch. Finally, in 2016, the two collaborated on a song “These Days”. Apart from this, Stroman has dropped lyrics on Seander’s “Shine” and “Take It How You Wanna”. 

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“I think (Jet) Le’Veon is one of the best. But Marcus is better,” Mike Seander praised Stroman once. Nonetheless, while Stroman’s artistic ventures were going strong, he turned into a successful businessman as well. 

Marcus Stroman as a businessman: Know about his secondary career that makes a real deal

Marcus Stroman’s HDMH Foundation helps young children who want to pursue their dreams. Apart from this, he has also created a HDMH apparel line. His brainchild, Stroman, uses HDMH as a tool to show his beliefs and is the chief designer of all of its products. By 2016, he held a patent in two countries for his designer logo. 

Apart from HDMH, Stroman also has a luxury fashion label called SHUGO. Created to provide high-quality luxury shoes, Stroman maintains that all of these brands fill a major gap in the market. As a person who struggled with issues regarding his physical measurements, Stroman ensures that his brands represent every stratum of society in an equal and just way.

Read more: Moments When Marcus Stroman Wished He Hadn’t Spoken About the New York Yankees

Even though Stroman is on his way to creating an empire outside of baseball, he has never forgotten his roots. Always ready to give back to the sport, Stroman found a way to help young athletes during the pandemic. 

Life as a baseball coach: Acting as a guide for multiple baseball dreams

After the pandemic rocked the world, MLB shut shop in 2020. With the future of the season in doubt, players were left frustrated. It was during this time that Stroman decided to go outside the box. Instead of complaining about the large break, he chose to spend his time creating a better future for baseball. 

So in June, Stroman made his availability known to every high school team in Tampa. This created a fervor and almost immediately, the star received 70 emails. Eventually, Stroman joined the Tampa Heat Under-9 youth team during their practice session and worked with them for two and a half hours. 

Apart from this, Stroman has also revealed multiple times that he sometimes works as a mental coach as well. Hoping to impart some of his ways of dealing with pressure on struggling athletes. But because he can’t be everywhere, Stroman decided to do the next best thing that could inspire young athletes – he started writing books.

An author: Marcus Stroman books which bleed dreams 

Stroman’s life has given him countless lessons. From watching his parents separated when he was five to facing poor treatment due to his height. People questioned his love for baseball and wondered whether his intellect would allow him to become a major league player. All of this shaped him into a resilient being and Stroman decided to share his story with the world. 

Stroman has authored two semi-autobiographical books – “The Grip” and “The Spin”. Targeted at kids, these books contain inspiring stories of how Stroman dealt with self-doubt. Teaching young kids how to overcome limitations and adversities, these books act as a foundation for every young athlete whose dreams are questioned.

So this was the story of Marcus Stroman – the man who rose above the mound and became an inspiration for millions. With more chapters to be added, his story seems to have just begun. 

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