Three years of free tickets and a family connection wasn’t enough to compel Matt Harvey to so much as consider going to Connecticut. Harvey was the top prep prospect in the class of 2007. He played for Fitch High in Groton, Conn., less than 50 miles south of UConn’s campus in Storrs. He was coached by his father Ed, a member of the Huskies’ 1972 College World Series team.
Still, UConn coach Jim Penders couldn’t get a sit-down with Harvey, and when Harvey’s draft stock fell, he left the Nutmeg State for North Carolina, where he went on to become a first-rounder in 2010.
“Today, I think we’d have a good chance at Matt Harvey,” Penders said.
Rightfully so. Penders has led the Huskies to each of the last four NCAA Tournaments, most recently a decisive third game in the Palo Alto Super Regional that could have culminated in UConn’s first CWS trip since 1979. Instead, the Huskies settled for the program’s first 50-win season and back-to-back Big East Conference regular season and tournament championships.
A program that finished better than sixth in its conference only once in the first six years of Penders’ tenure is now a heavy favorite to make it five straight trips to a regional and not an outlandish pick for Omaha. It got there by treating its supposed disadvantages as advantages. Chief among them was geography.
“Geography, we’ve always been told that it’s a disadvantage for us. I’ve always disputed that and just will not accept it,” Penders said. “We live in the greatest part of the country.
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Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
MLB’s byzantine service time rules cloud rookie status and now PPI eligibility
LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER
On a scouting trip to Cuba in 1957, Bobby Avila discovered 16-year-old righthander Luis Tiant on the island's Juvenile League all-star team.
ORGANIZATION REPORT
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad's career has been unique, to say the least.
TOP 10 NL EAST
From the moment Thomas White stepped on a high school mound, he was viewed as the top lefthander available in the 2023 draft.
PREPARATION PAYS OFF
lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44
MAKING THE GRADE
Assessing the future value of graduated National League prospects
TOP 10 NL WEST
Even in high school, Bryce Eldridge could hit the ball a mile. The 6-foot-7 righthander could also touch 96 mph off the mound.
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
