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Pitcher expects to sign contract with San Diego Padres
(Originally Published: Friday Oct 28th, 2005 SW Michigan Herald Palladium)
Jon Koch is getting another shot.
The former Berrien Springs pitcher is expected to sign with the San Diego Padres in December after spending two seasons
with the Brockton Rox of the independent Can-Am League. Koch, 22, has been drafted twice and released once in his short
career. After a tryout for the Padres in September, though, he’s getting another crack at making it with a Major League affiliate.
“Sometimes with a second chance a kid blooms,” said Bill Bryk, the special assistant to the general manager for the San Diego Padres. “We have some 25 to 26 independent players in the organization. We sign independent players because sometimes they’re hungrier.” Bryk saw Koch throw during the two-day tryout in Chicago and immediately was interested in pursuing the 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-hander.
“He had a Major League fastball and has a chance to have a Major League slider,” Bryk said. “We also checked with his old pitching coach because intangibles and makeup are just as important as the other things. We heard nothing but good things.” After talking with Koch and with Brockton, where Koch is currently under contract, the Padres decided to wait a few months to sign him.
The Padres would have to pay Brockton $ 3,500 if they purchased Koch’s contract before December, when the pitcher’s contract is up. If the Padres wait until then, the team only owes the Rox $1. Then, if Koch makes the team in Spring Training, San Diego would have to pay Brockton an additional $1,500.
Koch, who was 37-7 with a 1.37 ERA and 478 strikeouts in 311 2⁄ 3 innings at Berrien Springs High School, went 6-8 with a 4.24 ERA in 39 games across two seasons with Brockton.
Prior to playing in the Can-Am League, Koch was taken in the 22nd round of the 2001 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he didn’t sign. He then played for Lake City Junior College in Florida before pitching at the Rookie League level for the Minnesota Twins, who drafted Koch in the 32nd round of the 2002 June draft. The Twins released him after the 2003 season.
“The Twins really didn’t give me an opportunity to play at the next level and to compete,” said Koch, who was named Michigan’s Mr. Baseball in 2001. “At Brockton, I faced better quality hitters and I think I’m a better pitcher now than I was then.” That was evident at the tryout.
On the first day, Koch topped out at 90 mph on the radar gun and followed that up by registering at 93 mph on the second day. That caught the eye of pitching coach Joe Fletcher, who also was on hand.
“To be able to get on the mound two days in a row and the second day throw harder, that shows you he’s healthy,” Fletcher said. “When he got released from the Twins he wasn’t throwing as hard for whatever reason.” Fletcher works with Tom House — Chicago Cubs’ ace Mark Prior’s personal coach — and has started serving as Koch’s personal coach. Before Spring Training in March, Fletcher intends on getting Koch used to a new fitness and nutritional program and also is working on cleaning up the young hurler’s mechanics to increase the effectiveness of his fastball, breaking ball and changeup.
“There are some small things that need to be ironed out, not only to help his breaking ball, but with everything,” Fletcher said. “My first objective is to get his motion cleaned up to where he has good control over all three of his pitches. I do expect him, with what he’s doing now, to gain velocity, too.
“Here’s a guy with Major League ability and he’s already been released,” he added. “If he had a serious program he could be a bonafide star in the big leagues.” Should Koch make the team in Spring Training, Fletcher expects that he would start at the Double-A level or would reach that level quickly. Koch could be used as a starter because he has three quality pitches, but the majority of his professional career has been as a relief pitcher. Bryk said it was still undetermined what role Koch might fill.
Koch is just happy he’s getting another chance. So are the people that have helped him over the years.
“I just wanted him to get a shot with another affiliate,” said John Donley, Koch’s coach at Berrien Springs. “I think he has a chance to last longer than what he did with the Twins.” |
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