How Juaron Watts-Brown became Oklahoma State baseball's ace by 'betting on' himself

STILLWATER — Dalton Silva vividly remembers the first time he watched Juaron Watts-Brown throw a baseball.

Only a sophomore at Hanford (California) High School, Watts-Brown displayed life on each pitch.

The arm slot was good. The spin of the baseball was promising.

The rumors Silva had heard were true.

“He had a chance to be the next big name out of our little small town,” said Silva, then Hanford’s new pitching coach.

Those traits, though evolved, still stand out to Silva when he sees Watts-Brown pitch at Oklahoma State.

And excitement rises for Watts-Brown’s future.

“It’s crazy for all of this to unfold,” Silva said.

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When the Cowboys open a huge series Friday at Kansas, they’ll turn to Watts-Brown, their ace, in an effort to regain footing following a tough two-week stretch of series losses in Big 12 play.

After transferring from Long Beach State, he was the conference’s preseason pitcher of the year and newcomer of the year. That brought lofty expectations.

And now in the final stretch of the regular season, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound right-hander is ready to show why the early belief was there.

“I think he’s really finding his competitive identity,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. “He’s starting to find the proper balance of being highly competitive and highly focused.”

In nine starts this spring, Watts-Brown is 4-2 with a 3.58 ERA. He leads the Big 12 with 83 strikeouts and is third with a .187 opponents’ batting average.

A few weeks ago, he was the national pitcher of the week after a 128-pitch dominant performance against Texas.

Those numbers were never what he expected growing up. Watts-Brown actually believed a different sport was his future.

“I thought my ticket out of Hanford was going to be football,” he said.

A talented quarterback, Watts-Brown loved the sport. But he also excelled at baseball and basketball.

Then Silva arrived.

A former student coach at Division II Lubbock (Texas) Christian, Silva worked to get Watts-Brown to choose baseball.

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After watching the initial throwing session, Silva called a buddy who coached at the junior college level. He was equally impressed. Silva then called a friend who played professionally in the Astros’ organization.

That friend told Watts-Brown he could throw 100 mph and be a first-round draft pick one day.

So, Watts-Brown started working with Silva more and more.

Within six weeks, Watts-Brown’s velocity jumped from 80-83 mph to 89 mph. He made an Area Code Baseball team.

“That’s when it took off from there,” Watts-Brown said.

Scholarship offers rolled in. By his senior year, Watts-Brown was committed to Texas Tech. But a shoulder injury in football cost him the opportunity.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic canceled his final baseball season.

So, Watts-Brown opted to go to Long Beach State. He redshirted with a labrum injury his freshman year. The next year, he initially struggled and was demoted to the bullpen.

“My mindset changed,” Watts-Brown said of the demotion. “I was too worried about messing up or not making the pitch. When I went into the pen, it was almost like, ‘Screw it. Just throw it as hard as I can.” I trust my stuff.

When Watts-Brown got back into the rotation, he exploded.

He was the national pitcher of the month in May. He threw a no-hitter. He was 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 33 innings.

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And with two days left in the transfer portal window, Watts-Brown made another big decision.

He was going to leave.

“I just wanted to go to a place where it’s going to be the best competition, I was going to get better with a good pitching coach and give myself the best opportunity for the end of the year,” he said.

OSU checked every box.

Watts-Brown arrived with hype. He now features a fastball that touches 94 mph and one of the best sliders in college baseball.

“He just has come so much further than I would have ever imagined,” said Christy Balderama, Watts-Brown’s mother. “Back when he was in high school, there was some draft talk, there were some scouts or this and that. It’s just multiplied exponentially. Even from last year to this year, he’s made incredible leaps and bounds in what he’s been able to accomplish.

“I still get amazed with the things that he’s recognized for.”

And though the path was unconventional, Watts-Brown regrets nothing.

He’s showing the promise Silva immediately noticed.

“It was betting on myself,” Watts-Brown said.

OSU vs. Kansas

WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kansas

STREAMING: ESPN+

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State baseball's Juaron Watts-Brown was a three-sport star