By Kary Booher (for Ozone), photo by Mark Harrell
He rocketed out of high school with the so-called million-dollar arm – or, more accurately, $2 million arm – and the prestige as a first-round draft pick, and then tore off a 9-3 record in his first full season in pro baseball.
For Jack Flaherty, it seemed as if nothing could go wrong down on the St. Louis Cardinals farm in those early days of his young career – until he hit a roadblock last July. But perhaps the forgettable month was one of the best things that could have happened to the prospect right-hander.
“Maybe,” Flaherty said. “Everything is a process. It taught me not to be too results-oriented. It taught me to get something out of each and every start – not to just go through the motions.”
These days, hitters in the Double-A Texas League probably wish he would go back to where he came from. After all, Flaherty has been a shining light for the Springfield Cardinals as he has reeled off a 6-0 record and league-bests in earned run average (0.99), strikeouts (45) and WHIP (0.79) and an eye-popping opponents’ batting average, a miniscule .185.
In other words, better catch him while he’s here as Springfield begins a homestand Monday night, with Flaherty scheduled to pitch again on Wednesday. Despite being 21 years old and still somewhat a pup, it’s easy to envision the Cardinals moving Flaherty midseason to Triple-A Memphis, the cusp of the big leagues.
He’s certainly got the look – a 6-foot-4 frame — and baseball name, to boot, and an interesting backstory.
Here he is, just three years removed from intriguing scouts as a hitting prospect with gap-to-gap power, according to Baseball America magazine, before his destiny turned in his 2014 high school season debut. That’s when Flaherty struck out 12 batters and, that spring, showed scouts clean-and-fast arm action, a fastball that already was touching 93, advanced control and the makings of a slider, according to BA.
Now he’s got a pitching coach, a former big-leaguer, who is not quite ready to jump in and tweak much given Flaherty’s 2017 surge.
“He could probably mix in his change-up more. But I’ve seen the guy for five starts, including the St. Louis Cardinals (exhibition) game, and it’s like, ‘What do you say about the guy?’” Springfield pitching coach Jason Simontacchi said in late April. “He hasn’t shown me anything that he needs to work on.”
For years, the word in the industry on high school pitchers is that they are the riskiest bets in the June amateur draft.
Simply put, unlike college pitchers – a preference of the Cardinals throughout their first-round draft history –mature both physically and mentally while on campus, while high schoolers in the low minors face a much different culture shock altogether. Even the Cardinals have been known to ease back on their high school draft picks in their first couple of years in the low minors, allowing them the time to find their way.
“The maturity has had to come really fast,” Flaherty said. “It’s just all been a process of mentally growing, as much as it is physically. I think I’ve gotten smarter on how to handle my body and watch other guys and how they go about their business. I see what works for me and try to apply it to myself.”
Flaherty, fortunately, has been a success story so far. He was cruising in his first full season in 2015, compiling a 9-3 with a 3.60 ERA in the low Class A Midwest League.
However, last summer proved more difficult in the high Class A Florida State League. His July speed bump resulted in a whopping 6.04 ERA, as he went winless between June 11 and Aug. 1. Even in his better starts, in that stretch, he was tagged for numerous hits.
“It was a learning year,” Flaherty said. “I had to work through some things. I wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked to be. It really helped me figure out my routine, though, just to be able to focus in what I needed to get done.”
He finished on a roll, however, and it’s carried over into Springfield. The big thing? Flaherty said he is leaning pitch sequence – which seems mundane but could be his ticket to St. Louis.
Set up batters, sit high atop the leaderboard.
“He’s doing the basic things of pitching. Working ahead. Changing speeds. Pitching in,” Simontacchi said. “Obviously, his stuff is pretty good, too. When he’s gotten himself in danger, he makes the pitches to get out of it.”
In reality, the Cardinals are seeing a prospect connect on his talent. Not that he is expecting to be in Memphis or St. Louis soon. He’s enjoying the journey, learning, pitching.
“I just have to trust my stuff,” Flaherty said. “I’ve never doubted myself. The expectations I’ve had for myself have always been higher than anybody else. I’m just looking at going out and pitching. I’m not too focused on going here, going there.”
