ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - His handshake could send you to the disabled list; that’s how strong he is. But that strength no longer could translate to his limbs, and the fatigue he experienced was so severe that it ended the career of one of the great New England athletes.

Rocco Baldelli had it all.

He was a five-tool player. He could run with anyone - including Carl Crawford, a player he came up with through the Rays organization. He could hit, hit for power, and played center field as well as anyone in baseball, with a terrific arm.

But little by little, what was first diagnosed as a mitochondrial disorder - and later changed to channelopathy - sapped his strength and his ability to be what he once was.

According to most definitions, channelopathy is a condition that determines the flow of particles such as sodium and potassium ions through cell membranes. It is a dysfunction that can be fatal in some cases, nonprogressive in others.

Baldelli, whose playing career lasted from 2003-10, with one season in Boston and the rest with Tampa Bay, is still in the game, as a special assistant to Rays general manager Andrew Friedman. His duties include instruction during spring training, and amateur scouting the rest of the time.

On Wednesday, Baldelli was at Tropicana Field in the afternoon working out a local high school kid. His input in the draft is important.

“It’s been a great experience,’’ Baldelli said. “I love my job. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing right now. Of course, I’d prefer to play, but that’s no longer an option, so starting this phase of my career last year was something I fell in love with.

“If I didn’t think my opinion meant anything, I wouldn’t be doing it. They value what I have to say about a player and my evaluations of players. That means a lot to me, and I think I’ve been able to give them my honest take on what I’m seeing.’’