HOOVER, Ala. — After the morning practice, Brandon Woodruff checked his phone and saw something surprising.
Through Twitter, Woodruff, a freshman right-hander, learned he would start Tuesday in the Mississippi State University baseball team’s first game in the Southeastern Conference tournament at Regions Park.
“I found out (Monday),” Woodruff said, “(and) not from my coach, either. I guess from all the media guys that cover us as a team.”
MSU coach John Cohen then interrupted to joke about the timing of the announcement.
“It was very close in proximity of time now,” Cohen said. “We let him know, I suppose, nearly as soon as we were sure.”
In his first SEC start, Woodruff (1-2) pitched in and out of trouble. In two of the first three innings of MSU’s 9-1 victory against the University of Arkansas, the Razorbacks (39-18) left five baserunners on as Woodruff used momentum-killing strikeout in each inning.
“If he really jams the strike zone, he’s really good,” Cohen said. “It does two things because while it’s economical and allows him to get through deeper in a game, but it’s also power pitches. His ability to throw it down in the zone is really coming along.”
Woodruff was more relaxed after a towering three-run home run by freshman first baseman Wes Rea in the second inning. He then attacked the strike zone with less fear of giving up a critical hit.
The Wheeler native, who was an Under Armour All-American, mixed in a 92-93 mph fastball with an overhand curveball to get five strikeouts in five innings.
“What I was trying to do is work in on the right-handed hitters just to show them I wasn’t afraid to pitch inside and then come back with slider or another breaking pitch away,” Woodruff said. “I really think working both sides of the plate helped me out today.”
Leading 3-0 and with the bases loaded, Woodruff retired right fielder Brian Anderson on a quick chopper to the mound, which he used to start a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
“I just knew every time I got in a jam I was going to have to keep the ball down for the simple reason that if I elevated a pitch then they could hit it hard in the air,” Woodruff said. “I just needed soft contact at those times for a double play or a punch out at that moment.”
Woodruff, a former fifth-round pick by the Texas Rangers in the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, held the league’s fifth-best offense to two hits in a 72-pitch outing.
Many draft experts didn’t believe Woodruff would make it to MSU once the Rangers put a lot of faith and a significant guaranteed signing bonus offer in front of him.
“I looked the guy right the eye and asked him if he played college baseball and when he said, ‘Yes,’ then I asked him if he would trade that experience for any amount of money in the world,” said Richard Woodruff, Brandon’s father, to the Texas Rangers director of scouting months ago. “He leaned back and said, ‘No,’ and then at that point what are we talking about?”
In his only other start against SEC competition, Woodruff allowed a season-high five runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings against the University of Mississippi in the Governors Cup game in Pearl.
Woodruff is the second straight freshman to start the SEC tournament on the mound for MSU (35-21) under Cohen. Evan Mitchell also went five innings against the University of Florida.
“I can’t say enough about Woody in his first SEC start by doing a great job of shoving the ball straight in the straight zone,” Cohen said. “He’s going to be a phenomenal pitcher and could be the next Chris Stratton for us.”
Woodruff’s outing showcased his potential and allowed Stratton (10-1, 2.16) to take the mound against top-seeded LSU today in a non-elimination game.
“We now know we’ll have to have somebody like Brandon step up for us in a different role, and that’s exactly what he did for us today,” Cohen said. “We love the progression of how a freshman like him has come along.”
Tuesday’s start also helped Woodruff believe he can compete against pitchers like Arkansas ace Ryne Stanek. It is a task he likely will be asked to handle more frequently in the next two years.
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