LYMAN — Massabesic High School sophomore Cody Frazier has had a tough 2009.

As a catcher on the baseball team, he, along with his fellow Mustang teammates, endured a winless 0-16 season.

On top of that, he begins football camp today, where he will practice for long hours under the hot August sun.

Through the gloom, however, he has received good news. Frazier has been selected to participate in the Pirate City Christmas Camp and Tournament in December at the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training facility in Brandenton, Fla.

Frazier will practice and play with 200 fellow ballplayers from 30 states. He was asked to participate in the camp after playing in front of scouts from the Baseball Factory, a national baseball service that helps high school players gain exposure for college teams.

While in front of scouts, Frazier was asked to participate in certain drills, such as the 60-yard  dash to test his speed (he ran it in a little more than seven seconds), as well as the time it took him to throw from behind home plate to second base (2.7 seconds).

“I was just looking to get evaluated,” Frazier said. “But then they called us up and said they were impressed.”

Frazier began the baseball season as a member of Massabesic’s junior varsity team, but was eventually called up to varsity for four games.

Frazier began his venture into baseball by playing tee-ball at 5. He began to play catcher in little league, and found individual success by playing as a catcher on the 9-10-year-old all-star team.

Frazier’s father, Kevin, said he taught Cody baseball at a young age, and the family has been supportive of his athletic career throughout the years.

“His 70-year old grandfather would come over and throw the baseball or football with him,” he said.

Will Bowers, who has coached Frazier in middle school and high school, complemented him on his work ethic.

“I think overall Cody is a great player and a great kid,” Bowers said. “He works hard. He does anything you ask.”

Bowers said some of Frazier’s best baseball attributes are his defensive skills behind the plate.

“He has some catching attributes,” Bowers said. “He knows how to block balls. In practice he was throwing out varsity level baserunners. He’s got quick feet. He can hit. He’s just a well-rounded ballplayer.”

Frazier said players leaving the team hurt the Mustangs as the squad had a large turnout for tryouts, but had to call  up several junior varsity players to fill gaps by the end of the season.

“It was a tough season,” Frazier said.

Kevin Frazier said it’s difficult for the team to be motivated after having a history of losing.

“Every year it gets rougher and rougher, because the motivation doesn’t seem to be there, and the attitudes [among the players] aren’t that great, it’s rough,” he said.

Cody Frazier said he’s not sure how the team will play next season. The team will have to adapt to a new coach, as Bowers has left his post as the Mustang’s head coach because he is moving to Rhode Island.

Frazier, who also plays quarterback and conerback on the football team, said he’s looking forward to the upcoming football season.

“We’re a young team, but we’ve been working hard in the offseason,” he said.

Even though he still has three years left of school, Frazier said he would like to continue to play baseball at the college level.

“I love the game,” Frazier said. “I like football, but I love baseball more.”

Frazier said he is trying to find sponsors to help pay for some of the trip to Florida. It will cost $3,000 to travel and attend the camp. He said he has put ads in local newspapers for help, as well as receiving help from family members and friends.

“Everybody in the community knows Cody and knows the kind of kid that he is, so they want to support him,” Kevin Frazier said.

For monetary donations for Cody Frazier’s trip, call Kevin Frazier at 229-8890.

— Contact Dave Dyer at ddyer@journaltribune.com.