Virgen’s View: Former Newport Harbor baseball player gives back Pujols’ 600th home run ball at no charge

Scott Steffel went to his first Angels’ game of the season on May 30 with his father, Ted, and brother, Teddy. The Costa Mesa family saw Albert Pujols hit his 599th in a second of a seven-game homestand.

After the game, the three talked about how great it would be to catch No. 600 for Pujols. They bought tickets in the same section for the rest of the week. Each day they went to Angel Stadium, each wearing a baseball glove.

Steffell, 23, a former Newport Harbor High baseball player, also knew what he would do if he ever caught it.

He was ready to be a part of history on Saturday. Steffel caught Pujols’ 600^th home run, a grand slam just inside the left-field foul pole, in the fourth inning. Pujols became the ninth player to reach 600 home runs.

“The only thing I was thinking was I have to give this to Albert,” said Steffel, who gave back the ball at no charge, passing up an item that was estimated at upward of $100,000. “This is his ball. This is his moment. Being a baseball player, I know how much it means to the ball player. Having that ball, and giving it to Albert, meant everything to me. It was priceless.”

Steffel, who is studying graphic design at Cal State Fullerton and works part-time at Billabong in Irvine, said he felt several people on top of him when he secured the ball.

“My dad and brother got there in a heartbeat and started pulling people off,” said Steffel, a lifelong Angels fan who has been to over 200 games. “A minute later, MLB security and Angels security and team staff rushed down and took me and my family up. Just everything after catching the ball went by so fast. Next thing you know I’m up in the press box, and I’m doing interviews. It was insane.”

Steffel has a strong love for baseball. He started playing when he was 4 and grew up in the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. before going on to play for Newport Harbor.

“My dad coached Teddy and I,” Steffel said of his first experience with baseball. “Our first team was the Angels.”

These days Steffell plays in a couple softball leagues during the week with his brother, and then on Sundays they play in a baseball league in Santa Ana.

Throughout all his games Steffell had never hit a home run.

“I hit my first career home run a month ago in my Sunday league, that was a huge moment,” Steffel said. “Teddy and I would always joke around about that. But after I hit it, I got the ball back. It was amazing.”

Pujols’ 600^th home run was on a whole other level, but Steffel still could relate to the purity of the game in those moments. How refreshing.

“He could’ve hit the ball anywhere in the park, and he hit it to me,” Steffel said. “I got to meet him and give him the ball. Being a part of history is just amazing, and sharing it with my dad and brother it’s priceless.”

steven.virgen@latimes.com

Twitter: @SteveVirgen