We look another SEC pitcher at 38 in LSU sophomore right-handed pitcher Zack Hess.
He was a top 400 prospect by Baseball American coming out of high school and was drafted in the 35th round by the New York Yankees, but chose to keep his commitment to LSU.
He started his freshman season in 2017 as a starter, but later moved to the bullpen where he made his mark.
Hess made a team-high 30 appearances (6 starts) and posted a 3.12 ERA in 60.2 innings pitched with 83 strikeouts and 30 walks, while allowing just 39 hits for a WHIP of 1.14.
He was named a Freshman All-American, while helping the Tigers advance all the way to the College World Series finals.
This past summer he made three starts in the Cape Cod League and had an ERA of 2.61 in 10.1 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts, 7 walks and 10 hits allowed.
At 6-foot-6, 216 pounds he creates a lot of downward movement. Hess features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a wipeout slider, but he needs to learn to command both with more consistency.
While he will most likely move back into the Tigers starting rotation in 2018, I think he’s destined to be a shutdown closer at the next level unless he finds that third pitch.
Either way, Hess is an exciting pitcher to watch on the mound as he gives it all he has on every pitch.
