As a high school star for the Pendleton Heights Arabians last year, Brock Huntzinger knew he could rely on the ace up his sleeve. If the right-handed pitcher found himself in a jam, all he had to do was reach back and let his fastball do the work.
Now that he’s with the Boston Red Sox Short Class-A Lowell Spinners, located in Massachusetts, that particular option no longer applies.
“In high school I knew that was the only place I was going to get away with throwing a fastball as hard as I could right down the middle,” the six foot, three inch farmhand remarked. “I knew, if I was going to go to Indiana University, I wouldn’t be able to do that either. Even a team’s best pitchers in high school would throw one down the middle of the plate.”
Pinpoint accuracy is the key for Huntzinger these days, and to date, it’s been his most reliable asset.
Moved up to the New York-Penn League this year after a short stint in the franchise’s Gulf Coast League for Rookie Ball instruction in 2007 when he was selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft, Huntzinger has evolved.
The 114th pick overall has honed his off-speed arsenal, including a changeup, which has helped him carry a 0.58 ERA through 31.0 innings pitched.
Huntzinger is undefeated with a record of 3-0 in six starts and has only allowed two earned runs with 25 strikeouts compared to two walks.
“My changeup has gotten 100 times better than before. I never actually threw a changeup, but here you have to because anybody can hit a fastball,” said Huntzinger, who owned the state’s lowest ERA at 0.16 to conclude his prep career before signing with Boston on June 12, 2007. “Everything is coming along well. I have a lot more confidence in my changeup then I ever have.”
He’s also tweaked his approach, slowing down his delivery while focusing on the bigger picture — consistency.
“I’ve changed my mechanics a little bit, just slowing things down, trying to refine everything. The biggest thing I’ve been working on is commanding my fastball. Command is the biggest thing I’m working on. It’s kind of like a work in progress,” Huntzinger said.
“But you have to remember, if you go out and throw 2/3 of an inning, give up eight runs, it’s not the end of the world. It’s about accepting both failure and success, setting up a routine of being mentally as sound as you are physically sound.”
The process began for the 2007 All-State pitcher after he logged seven innings in the Gulf Coast League. The Pendleton Heights graduate went 0-1 in three starts, and carried a 2.57 ERA with eight strikeouts.
Spending the off season working on conditioning prior to extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. last March, Huntzinger refined his confidence and focus.
“I seriously feel like I don’t belong here,” he said, referring to his aspiration to continue the trek up the organization’s minor league path. “It all comes down to making the best of wherever you’re at whatever you’re doing. That definitely drives me (advancing). I want to make sure people know, this is what I want to do. It’s business when I’m on the mound. Nobody wants to fail or have a bad game. I definitely want to make the best campaign for myself to be where I want to be in three or four years.”
With the Spinners, he made his ambition known in his first start, which led to Pitcher of the Week honors on June 22.
In that seven-day span, Huntzinger went 10 straight innings without allowing a run in two starts. He surrendered just seven hits while striking out 11 opposing batters. He also only issued one walk and picked up the win in the Spinners’ season opener, defeating Tri-City 4-2.
In his next start, Huntzinger struck out four in five innings without allowing a run against the Vermont Lake Monsters.
However, as the seventh player and sixth pitcher all-time in Pendleton Heights’ program history to be drafted, Huntzinger says the thrill of his first Class-A start won’t soon fade.
“I’ve never thrown in front of 5,000 people,” he noted on throwing the home opener at LeLacheur Park. “There were people everywhere. It was a different atmosphere. It was a lot different than playing in Florida (Gulf Coast League). Finally, getting to play under the lights was like playing real baseball again. It was a lot of fun, and there was a lot of adrenaline, getting the ball for opening day. I got a chance to show what I can do.”
Sports
Former Arabian making noise in minors
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