Tonight Jerad Eickhoff won his big-league debut for the Phillies. 6 shutout innings; also singled and had 2 RBI. Background:
- Sophomore year in HS he did not play Varsity
- Junior year he played 3B and pitched a total of 6 innings for his HS team
- Fall of his senior year PG had him touching 85 mph (http://www.perfectgame.org/Pla...ofile.aspx?ID=207218), which was the 70th percentile for his high school year. In other words, 30% of the 2009 pitchers that PG saw threw harder than Eickhoff. He has added about 10 mph since then.
- 15th round draft pick out of a JC
Interview here: http://crawdadsbeat.com/2015/0...ajor-league-pitcher/
Did you have the opportunity to go to a four-year school?
Eickhoff: I did have some opportunities to maybe walk-on and get a smaller scholarship. But the way it was panning out was that I’d fight for a spot. It might take two or three years to see some actual playing time. For me, it was important to get playing right away. If I’m playing, I’m getting better. That’s what my coaches always preached from day one, my dad as well. I think that was the biggest thing, just getting to play every day and being a key factor on the team and really contributing.
What were some highlights for you in high school?
Eickhoff: When I was a sophomore (2007), we went to the state finals (against Norwell High). I wasn’t on the varsity team. I was on the reserve and I got moved up. Although I wasn’t on the field, I got to be with the atmosphere of the state finals.
Did you play other positions in high school?
Eickhoff: I actually didn’t pitch. I only pitched six innings my junior year. I pitched like 45 (innings) my senior year. I played more third base.
How did the transformation to the mound get started and what was it like for you?
Eickhoff: It’s kind of funny, because when I was playing in high school summer baseball, I had some coaches tell me, “hey, you’re playing third base now, but I think your future is going to be in pitching.”
You kind of accept that; you don’t think about it then. As the years kind of took place and I didn’t know college was going to be coming about. Some junior colleges started calling and wanted me to pitch and liked me on the mound. That kind of kick started it and I saw my future started opening up. Maybe I could do this in college and see where it takes me. I just needed to get bigger and get more apt to pitching.
Is that a continuation of learning about letting go of things you can’t control, like being a 15th-round pick?
Eckhoff: Yeah, I wish I was a first-rounder, but that’s passed and what’s happened, happened. I just continue to work every day and do what I can. What I control is conditioning and the effort I put in and the throwing program and things like that and keeping my body in check. I’m a competitive guy and I’m going to do what I can to try to make it in this game.
