At 6-foot-8, Alton senior lefthanded pitcher Bryan Hudson has one heck of a reach.
It is a reach that appears bound for the Major League Baseball entry draft in June
Hudson can throw a fastball in the mid-90s, and he has a killer curve that has big league scouts salivating.
“It's tough, especially for me from the left-hand side,” Edwardsville senior infielder Mitchell Krebs said of Hudson's hook. “It's always tough to No. 1 get on time, and No. 2 see the spin from the curveball. His curve is very sharp. One of the reasons he's always so good is that he always changes speeds and you just never know what's coming.”
That ability has kept the opposition off balance. Hudson owns a 4-1 record this season with an 0.90 earned run average in 23-plus innings for the Redbirds (10-2).
He has struck out 57 batters and walked just nine.
“He's working with an advantage,” Alton coach Todd Haug said. “The advantage he has is God-given ability in terms of being a natural athlete and he's 6-foot-8, so he's got a different plane than most pitchers have. He's throwing from the correct side, so when he releases that breaking ball, he's releasing it from nine feet in the air and he's throwing it hard. He throws it about 10 miles an hour harder than anybody else. It's a pitch that he can count on at any time.”
Hudson’s fastball and curve form a one-two punch that is more formidable than most at the high school level.
His repertoire routinely has hitters guessing.
“Bryan is very difficult to hit,” Edwardsville coach Tim Funkhouser said. “His size gives him very good reach and makes the ball feel like it is on top of the hitter. He also has a deceptive delivery. Usually, his fastball moves as well.”
Hudson said he enjoys the edge his natural ability and his training have provided him on the mound.
The mild-mannered pitcher said he can see how he can be seen as an imposing figure.
“I guess I intimidate people just with my size,” Hudson said. “I try to use that to my advantage. I use everything I've got. I've spent a lot of time working on how to control that (curve). It's paid off. I've worked at it so much because I knew if I did, it could one day be one of the hardest pitches to hit.”
The two pitches Hudson has mastered already have him on the fast track to the Southeastern Conference. He has signed to play for the University of Missouri.
“I chose them because they are a newer SEC school,” Hudson said. “They picked up (Collinsville alum) Tanner Houck. We both can be the ones to put Mizzou on the map in our first year there.”
There could be even bigger things on the horizon for Hudson this summer, though.
This June's Major League Baseball entry draft figures to hold a lot of intrigue for Hudson and his supporters.
Throughout the year so far, representatives of MLB clubs have been a constant at Alton games. And not just your average sets of eyes, either.
“They're not even scouts any more, those are scouting directors and vice presidents,” Haug said. “The lowest level we're seeing now is cross-checkers. He's going to be a top draft choice, we hope. All the writing's on the wall with the attention he's getting. He's very humble, he comes from a very humble family and they've raised him right. He's taking it one day at a time like we all are.”
Hudson said while he knows the eyes of the world, it seems, are watching his every move, there will be a time and place to worry about all that.
He is driven to help the Redbirds succeed this spring. His efforts have even extended to the plate, where he's hitting .483 with a team-high four home runs and 18 RBI.
“He's just a tremendous athlete and he's coming off an outstanding basketball season,” Haug said. “He's a good enough athlete that if he wanted to focus on basketball, he's a Division I athlete. He knows how to play the game. He’s very coachable and he's willing to put in the time. When that's the case, good things happen and you see that on the mound and at the plate. The interesting part is that we've always known he’s a good hitter, the pitching has just overshadowed it.”
