Friday on the Farm: Chasing the dream leads Lucas Jacobsen to first big-league camp

(Rangers Today/Jeff Wilson)

Lucas Jacobsen had just finished his first bullpen session of spring training Feb. 15.

Among the pitches he throws is a two-seamer, and it caught the eye of a guy who had a pretty good sinker during his career — Greg Maddux.

A Hall of Famer and a left-hander, who at 27 finally reached Triple A last season, just talking about how to make a sinker more of a weapon.

It might not have been a surreal moment for Jacobsen, but the moment wasn’t lost on him.

He’s in big-league spring training for the first time after contemplating giving up baseball one a few times because of injuries. Some believe he has an outside chance to make the Opening Day roster and a better chance to make his MLB debut this season.

When he does, it will be the topper on a story of perseverance.

“I spent so much time away from the mound, it was like if I could just get back there,” he said. “It felt so good to be out there [last year], so I was having a lot of fun. I had some success because I’ve been itching and clawing back to just be out there and competing. When I finally got that opportunity, there was part of me that felt like that was where I was supposed to be.”