"Last year I was a weekend
starter," added the 6' 4", 215 pound power right handed pitcher. "I
had a 2.45 ERA, and my opponents hit under .200 for the season against me. I lost
a lot of 1-0, 2-1 games, which was tough, but I only had two starts the whole
season at home. Coach told me that I had the best mind set to pitch on the road,
so he always saved me for the crucial road games. This fall, the batters are hitting
less than .100 against me. I have not given up a run in 10 games so far.""
It
is not only Aaron's tough mental state that allows him to effective on the road;
he also possesses a lot of God given skills on the mound.
"My fastball
averages in the 90-94 MPH. I was pitching 95 MPH pretty consistently in front
of the Dodger scouts in a showcase tournament this summer. They drafted me out
of high school (44th round) when I was only 6' 4", 175 pounds. I was a rail
back then (laugh). I probably was only throwing it 86-89 MPH back then, but I
got on a serious weight training program and put on 40 good pounds over here and
it really helped my arm strength. When they got rid of the draft and follow rule,
it freed me up from the Dodgers."
Aaron Barrett has a bulldog mentality
on the mound.
"I like to attack with my fastball, either with the
4 seam or 2 seamer. I get ahead with my fastball and use my change-up as one of
my out pitches. The change-up is probably my most improved pitch. But really,
my best pitch is my slider and my out pitch is my 4 seam fastball. If I want to
run it away from the left handed hitters, I use a two seam."
Aaron
is considered by most as one of the Top 5 juco pitchers in the country. It is
no small coincidence that he has narrowed his list of schools to some of the top
baseball programs in the country.
"I am down to Louisville, Kentucky,
Miami, Kansas, and Ole Miss."
Have all offered?
"Yes."
When
will Aaron take his official visits?
"I have already visited Louisville
and Kentucky. I am going to Ole Miss this weekend, and I plan to visit both Miami
and Kansas sometime soon, but I have not figured it out yet."
What
stood out about Louisville?
"Well, Coach McDonnell is just such
a great guy. He makes you feel wanted. I was there on September 11/12). I went
to the MTSU game There are no negatives about their coaches, campus, and facilities.
They have a great atmosphere up there. It is a great school. Their pitching coach,
Williams, he has done a lot of great things and took a lot of pitchers to the
pros when he was at North Carolina. I just really liked the players and coaches
at Louisville. It would be a nice fit."
And Kentucky?
"We
left there that Saturday afternoon (9/15) and got there in time for their football
game against Louisville. It was an unbelievable atmosphere. The place went nuts
because they were playing their biggest rival game that night. Gary Anderson,
their pitching coach, has done a lot of good things in the draft for his pitchers.
He came from Oregon State. Their campus and facilities and people are so patient
about Kentucky. The whole town, that's all they care about, Kentucky. It was just
great to be a part of that."
What will Aaron focus on while he is
at Ole Miss this weekend?
"My main focus will be on somebody getting
me better for the future. My main goal is to play pro ball one day. I am looking
for a coach who can develop me and also play for a great team with a chance to
get to the World Series."
How did Ole Miss find Aaron and what are
Barrett's thoughts on the Rebels?
"Coach Rob was over here in a showcase
tournament last year, and he has been keeping in touch with me ever since. Ole
Miss is probably in the best conference in the nation. They stay in the Top 20
every year and play great baseball. That is what attracts me the most about Ole
Miss."
And Miami?
"They are in the ACC. They are in the
deep South. I guess they spoke to a scout who knew about me and told them I had
the talent to be a weekend starter in the SEC or ACC. They called and asked if
I would be interested in signing with them, and I told them that I was interested.
They said they were going to fly me out there to come in for a visit."
What
about Kansas?
"The Big 12 is obviously a great conference with schools
like Texas, Texas A&M, and Nebraska. They won the Big 12 a couple of years
ago, so they are a program on the rise. They want me to come in there and be an
impact Friday night pitcher for them. That is what I am trying to do, pitch on
Fridays and help the team win a conference championship and hopefully get to the
World Series."