Sander Beck is in his first season of professional baseball.

The right-handed pitcher is a Severna Park native who wrapped up his career at the University of Maryland this spring before signing a free-agent contract with the Orioles.

Entering Wednesday's home opener at Ripken Stadium, Beck, 21, had yet to appear for the IronBirds.

Patch caught up with the 6-foot-5-inch, 224-pound Beck about a week before opening day. Check out what he had to say:

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PATCH: How different is the experience here with the IronBirds than playing with the University of Maryland?
Beck: At Maryland it is more of a smaller atmosphere and playing in front of 6,000 fans every night will be a little bit different. I'm used to playing in front of a lot of fans, but coming from a smaller environment in Maryland just to be able to play in a bigger atmosphere will be really nice. There is a very professional attitude going around the clubhouse, which is very nice to see and I'm just excited to move along with the professional aspect of baseball.

PATCH: Are you nervous for this year and the experiences you will face?
Beck: Not much. Playing in the ACC for four years really helped me. You know, getting used to playing with really good competition is nerve-racking. The first couple days you've gotta meet everyone and just get comfortable.

PATCH: What did it feel like to be signed by the Orioles?
Beck: I signed after the draft and it was very exciting. It was kind of nerve-racking after the draft to hear if I would get signed. I stayed in contact with [Orioles area scout] Dean Albany. I was really excited to get the call and hear he got it done and to know I was playing in Aberdeen, which is close to my hometown Severna Park, was exciting.

PATCH: Will you be staying with a host family?
Beck: Because I live close to home, I am lucky enough to commute from there.

PATCH: What are your goals this year?
Beck: I want to develop as much as I can and learn a lot about minor league baseball. It's definitely going to be a bit of a different game compared to college baseball just in terms that the pace of the game might be a a little different. The first couple weeks I just wanted to get my bearings a little bit and hit the ground running, throw strikes, and let my defense work and try to win some ball games.

PATCH: What are your long-term goals?
Beck: I think everyone wants to play in the major leagues. We will see how the next couple weeks go. Obviously I want to be a major league pitcher.

PATCH: Would you like that to happen with the Orioles?
Beck: Being raised in Maryland, obviously playing for the Orioles would be my dream. What you have to understand is that this is a business. Front offices have to make business decisions and that's ultimately out of my control and I will take it one day at a time and the results will take care of that itself.

PATCH: Do you have any superstitions or rituals before the games?

Beck: Not really. I'm not sure if this is a stupid thing, but I have a superstition and it's not to have any superstitions. Let things take care of themselves. There are some things I do subconsciously, but nothing that really sticks out in my mind.

PATCH: Who is your biggest inspiration?
Beck: It has to be my brother. He went to University of Maryland with me and he was a major factor in me playing baseball. He just works really hard for everything he wants and every time I feel like the work out is too hard or maybe I'm a little down on baseball, I think of him being in the same situation and how hard he would work through it.

PATCH: What do you do in your free time?
Beck: I work out a lot, I love physically activity. I also like to play video games. I'm still a college kid in that regard. I just like to do the typical college stuff. Ping pong, video games, just hanging out and watching movies. I'm just excited to see what happens to me professionally.

Follow Patch coverage of the IronBirds here.