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player ready...Alex Hermeling said he was all set to use his final season of college eligibility and play for the Ohio State baseball team.
It explains why the Glenbrook North graduate decided to pitch for the Battle Creek (Mich.) Bombers this summer after graduating from Louisiana-Monroe earlier this year.
“I wanted to get better in preparation for the transfer to Ohio State,” said Hermeling, who could play one more year in college after missing the 2013 season following Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
But instead of heading to Columbus, Ohio, the 22-year-old Hermeling is in Phoenix, where he is a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers Rookie League team. Hermeling, who was drafted in the 43rd round by the Dodgers in 2011 out of high school, signed a minor-league deal on Tuesday, July 28. The details of the contract weren’t disclosed, but he said it’s a typical minor-league deal.
“The interest from pro teams was never initially in the plan,” Hermeling said of his decision to pitch in the Northwoods League, a college wood bat league.
However, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-hander caught the attention of pro teams while pitching for the Bombers. In nine appearances — eight starts — he had an ERA of 1.17 in 53 2/3 innings, striking out 52 and allowing 33 hits and 12 walks. He pitched in the Northwoods League All-Star Game last month.
It was departure from his final season at Louisiana-Monroe, where he finished with a 4.14 ERA in 14 starts. He allowed 86 hits, walked 35 batters and hit 12 in 87 innings.
Even though Hermeling went undrafted for the second year in a row, Bombers pitching coach Matt Reed saw Hermeling as a professional pitcher.
“Without question, specially the more I saw him throw,” Reed said. “He became so consistent every time out. He has the arm, the height, the body to play pro baseball, but it was his consistency that made me a believer.”
Hermeling credited a small tweak to his mechanics — Reed suggested he adjust the location of his hands to improve his command — for the quick turnaround.
“But there really wasn’t much to fix, and it was easy to teach him because he’s smart enough to figure things out,” said Reed, whose father, Marty Reed, is the pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A team.
Hermeling said he was thankful Ohio State extended him an offer to pitch for one more season, but he couldn’t pass up another chance to play pro baseball.
“I had to keep all of my options open,” he said. “Circumstances arose, and I wanted to take advantage of maybe an extra year in an organization. Otherwise, I would be 23 and trying to get my pro career started.”
If baseball doesn’t work, Hermeling said he plans to become a commercial airline pilot like his uncle, Jim Burnham, who flew for United before retiring at the mandatory age. Hermeling, a licensed pilot since he was 17, earned a degree in aviation from Louisiana-Monroe.
“I was fortunate enough to travel a lot in my life, and I always was fascinated with flying,” he said.
Hermeling said teammates jokingly have asked him to fly them to and from baseball games, rather than take long bus rides. That might happen someday, but right now Hermeling only is focused on pitching in the pros, another one of his childhood dreams.
“I am excited for this opportunity in baseball,” he said. “Flying will be there later.”
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Twitter: @harnesspreps