Ben Smith’s high school career didn’t get off to the best start as his freshmen season got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, he did a lot of training by himself.
“Without a coach’s help, I probably ramped up a little too fast and in the third outing of the Summer, I went out in a game and pitched three innings. I threw a changeup and it (elbow) just popped,” said Catholic senior pitcher Ben Smith.
What he felt is a pitcher’s nightmare.
“The ulnar collateral ligament, the UCL, it popped right off the bone,” Smith said.
After Tommy John surgery on his elbow, Ben returned late in his sophomore season stronger than ever.
“He came back, and he was dominant every single year for the past three years,” said Catholic senior Logan Ripper.
“He bounced back in a strong way, and he’s just been on fire since,” said Catholic Baseball Coach Courtney Spitz.
That dominance on the mound doesn’t come easy.
“It takes every ounce of energy I have every single day I go and I do the little things correctly. I work on my flexibility, and I work on my strength,” Smith said.
That dedication to training is paying off and giving Smith the type of stuff that pitchers have at the game’s highest levels.
“My fastball spin rate I think was around 2,500 (rpm),” Smith said.
Major League fastball spin rates are 2,300-2,600 rotations per minute. Catholic catcher Logan Ripper feels that speed.
“I remember I came home and my finger was swollen and the next day my hand was a little bit bigger than the other hand. It did not feel good,” Ripper said.
Ben works on spin rates for his other pitches, which helps him control the ball better.
“Hitters perceive that differently and so focusing on that helps you build your pitches correctly,” Smith said.
“They have more bite to them, his just fall out of the air,” Ripper added.
It’s that mix of speed and movement that makes Steve Bieser excited to have Ben next year at Mizzou.
“Watching him year after year grow and it’s exciting to see where he’s at now and to know he’s got a bright future in this game,” said Missouri baseball Coach Steve Bieser.
It’s a future Ben chose to work hard for after surgery and has carved for himself through hard work, and just the right touch.
