“I came here because Coach Mo and the others gave me a shot. That’s all I ask for.” – Buckeyes reliever Jacob Morin
He’s been around long enough to have learned that knowing how to pitch is his advantage. And the Buckeyes’ Jacob Morin rarely disappoints.
Columbus, OH – Among the excitement and anticipation of the talented young arms on the Ohio State pitching staff, there’s a notable exception to the modern rule of velocity conquers all.
A young man that’s learned from five previous schools and six years of experience that throwing strikes with movement and location can strike fear the same as 95 miles per hour.
Editor/publisher Sonny Fulks writes OHSAA sports and Ohio State baseball for Press Pros Magazine.
His name is Jacob Morin, he’s a transfer this year from Tennessee Tech University, by way of New Braunfels, Texas, and is working on a post-grad degree in sports management – while he works on opposing hitters with an assortment of breaking balls thrown for strikes, and his ability to sometimes out-think opposing hitters.
He admits to Ohio State being the fifth school on his college baseball journey, starting with the University of Incarnate Word…Cisco College…Texas Southern University…Dyersburg State Community College…and then to Tennessee Tech last year before portaling his way to Lane and High Streets over the off-season to pitch for the Buckeyes.
There were different reasons for his moving so much.
“Opportunity,” he begins. “But I didn’t always see things the same way as some coaches did. I wanted to elevate my game, there were some who doubted me, and I thought the only way to prove myself was to pitch at the Power 5 level. That’s why I’m here.”
Those who doubted him were no doubt of the school that velocity conquers all. Morin doesn’t have that kind of velocity, freely admitting that his best fastball might top out at 88 miles per hour.
“I try to live my life by the thought of not having any ‘what ifs’ – that if I can I’m always going to bet on myself. I might not have the best stuff, but I think that I compete with anyone. And that’s my edge, being a smaller guy.
Smaller amounts to being 5’10” and 140 pounds, soaking wet. Teammate Gavin DeVooght’s (6’5″, 240 pounds) duffel bag weighs more than Morin. But he’s never let that stop him from throwing strikes with movement…and more important, competing.
“He knows how to pitch,” says Buckeye coach Bill Mosiello. “I don’t know if he’s a prospect for the next level, but at his age and with this being his senior season, he wants the ball every time he can get it. He’s running out of time. He wants to pitch, he throws strikes, and he gets people out. It’s hard to ask for more than that.”
His effectiveness comes from his ability to shape the breaking ball – different arm angles, and different looks. Hitters are hesitant to swing at the breaking ball on strike one at any level of baseball and Morin uses that fact to his ultimate advantage. Once he gets ahead in the count…then he’ll throw the fastball, and not necessarily for a strike. His control is so good (23 Ks and 4 walks in 19.1 innings) that he’s the rare college pitcher who can afford to expand the strike zone and force hitters to swing at a bad pitch.
“Early in my career I was really locked in to throwing the ball as hard as I could, like everyone else,” he explains. “And I struggled, I really struggled back then. So I went back to my roots. – my slider is the only reason I was able to get to Division I baseball. I started living off of it and I’ve had success ever since. I stay myself, don’t try to be bigger or more than I am, and live within my abilities.
“That’s hard to do in the day of velo (velocity), he adds. “Last fall I was the smallest guy on the staff, being around other guys who live in the 90s, and that’s a little daunting. And, I had an injury in the fall and had to take some time off, just watching everyone else. But I knew that I could compete. No one would stop me as long as I did my thing.”
His thing? Get to two strikes and throw a pitch that’s not hittable – away, or down.
“If the situation dictates that I’m going to be sure and get the ball down and off the plate. If I miss I don’t want the miss up in the zone, where they can put a good swing on the ball.”
It sounds simple, but the trick is to throw that first pitch for a strike, followed by another competitive pitch that might not be as good, but still a strike. And left to just one strike, hitters tend to panic, and to coin the age-old phrase…expand the strike zone. This is Jacob Morin’s advantage.
Through 17 appearances (the most on the team with teammate Zach Brown) he’s pitched 19 innings and allowed fewer hits than innings pitched, and owns an earned run average of 2.84, along with a 4-0 record. Like Noah Jenkins of a year ago, he’s been a savior of sorts for this pitching staff.
He does have aspirations of pitching in professional baseball, and understands that his lack of velocity may diminish yet one opportunity, something that’s defined his career.
“I do want to pitch, and my biggest thing now is my stats. That’s always been my ticket. My velo is not major league, but I think I compete well enough that if I can get my foot in the door I’ll develop.
“My hope is that others give me a chance, same as it’s always been. Coach Mo and the other coaches gave me that chance, and that’s why I came here.
“That’s all that I ask. Someone to believe in me and give me a shot.”
Baseball people are always looking. Anything can happen. He’s a throwback to the well-known adage that less is more – to any high school player who questions his own gifts.
Even at 5’10” and 140 pounds!
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