Jio Mier Masters the Five Main Food Groups Early in His Professional Baseball Career

Jio Mier, with 2009 Bonita teammate Jason Plowman, who will pitch for Azusa Pacific next season.

On Friday, Sept. 4 at the Bonita High School season opener against Westview San Diego, LaVerneOnline caught with Jiovanni Mier, the ex-Bonita baseball star and $1.4 million first-pick of the Houston Astros in 2009.

After graduation and signing his rich contract, Mier traveled to Greeneville, Tenn., official home of the Greeneville Astros baseball club of the Appalachian League, where he batted .276 and slammed seven home runs in 51 games.

Mier is living back home for a couple of weeks before he ships out again to participate in the Florida Instructional League. Then he’ll be back home on Oct. 17 and wait to report for spring training. The Houston Astros have told Mier the team would like to see him break spring training playing high “A” ball in 2010.

While Mier said he missed his friends, he said he missed his mom’s cooking even more. “In Greenville, I survived on the five main food groups, McDonald’s, Applebees, Burger King, Sonic and Subway,” Mier said.