From the time he was 7 until he was drafted by the Orioles at 21, Jordan Westburg had a personal batting cage and a live-in practice pitcher at his childhood home in New Braunfels, Texas. Paul Westburg, a handyman, bought the materials from a neighbor and repurposed artificial turf from an old football field to build a batting cage in their backyard.

He became Westburg’s pitcher, tossing countless rounds of BP. Westburg now uses a machine when he trains, to his dad’s chagrin.

“He probably wishes he could still throw me BP,” the third baseman said. “I’m like ‘Hey, that’s nothing against you, it’s like (I’ve) advanced up.’”

Inside the Orioles’ clubhouse, each player carries a different type of baseball DNA. Some, such as second baseman Jackson Holliday and interim manager Tony Mansolino, grew up with their fathers in MLB clubhouses. Dean Kremer’s father is from Israel and didn’t understand the sport for much of Kremer’s childhood. Bryan Baker and his dad can talk about his slider’s spin rate after outings. But most players seem to share a common ideology. They wouldn’t have found their footing without the support of their father.

“I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for not only what he did, but for my mom as well,” Westburg said. “The sacrifices they made, the money they forked over.”Holliday, whose father Matt Holliday played 14 seasons in MLB, remembered spending Father’s Day at the ballpark. His dad would wear the special blue cleats and gloves, Holliday said, while he would terrorize the batting cages with his little brother Ethan Holliday.

For a prospect who was called up at 20 years old, Holliday’s background in big league clubhouses eased his transition. He spent his adolescence around players such as Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. Despite being the youngest player on the Orioles, he’s immersed himself with his teammates seamlessly.

“It’s definitely an advantage being able to understand how to interact and get to see the day-in and day-out grind and work the guys go through to stay up here,” Holliday said.

That’s not an easy thing, Mansolino said. He called an MLB clubhouse one of the most “uncomfortable places in the world.” Doug Mansolino, Tony’s father, served as a coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros.

Mansolino said his dad is a “built-in special adviser.” Growing up with a baseball dad helps provide valuable context to coaching choices, Mansolino said, allowing him to better explain to players why he’s making a certain decision.

But there’s also a sobering aspect to having a dad in MLB. Mansolino, who grew up in California, would miss spending Father’s Day with his road-traveling father. He’s seen prospering with his kids as well, who had their own baseball tournament on Sunday.

The Orioles’ manager won’t get home until 1 a.m. on most nights, well after his two sons have fallen asleep.

“Even when my kids are in town, if they don’t come to the field, I’m not even seeing them,” Mansolino said. “Having them here just gives you a chance to be a dad.”

Most players’ fathers did not play professionally. Some, such as Kremer’s dad, didn’t even know about baseball until his son started playing. That doesn’t discount the support they provided their children.

Westburg’s dad threw him batting practice until the year he was drafted in 2020. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez’s father built a baseball field in his backyard. Bryan Baker stayed with his parents while he bounced around the minor leagues.

“Having (my parents) as a rock to rely on really allowed me to invest time into bettering myself and getting myself to this position,” Baker said. “I think there probably wouldn’t have been enough resources and time to get here without them. So, yeah, I owe a lot to them.”

Some players’ fathers are scattered around the country. Many have kids of their own now. But playing a game on Father’s Day provided a natural chance for players to reflect on their dad’s influence.

Westburg’s dad was in Baltimore for the holiday last year. And Westburg, who has homered twice since returning from the injured list, could potentially enlist his dad as his pitcher at the Home Run Derby. Well, maybe.

“I think he’d be super nervous. I would be nervous, too, so we’d be a nervous wreck,” Westburg said.

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