Kerkering develops into a major-league prospect at USF

While at Venice High, Orion Kerkering heard about the University of South Florida’s reputation for developing pitchers.

After three seasons in a variety of roles with the Bulls, Kerkering hopes to add to the college baseball program's success story.

The right-hander was one of about 250 draft-eligible players, and one of two from the area, — Venice High shortstop Malek Houston was the other — selected to take part in the Major League Baseball Draft Combine last month at Petco Park in San Diego.

“It was a blast," Kerkering said. "I was super excited to tell my mom and dad.

The combine was an eye-opener for Kerkering, who was put through a series of medical tests, such as MRI, X-rays, blood work, vision, along with on-field workouts.

“I enjoyed it for the most part,” Kerkering said. “For me, "Just to see all the different players from around the country, the best of the best. Just being able to enjoy the moment.

"It could be the one and only time I pitch on a major league mound at a major league stadium or I could be there in a few years. You never know because life changes all the time. I just took in the moment out there.”

Kerkering took away more from his talks with former major league catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, pitcher Bruce Chen and outfielder Rajai Davis than his on-field work.

“It was almost like shut-up-and-learn what these big leaguers are doing,” Kerkering said. “Learn who you are if you don’t know who you are.”

Kerkering’s on-field experience consisted of a 3½-minute bullpen session of between 15 and 20 pitches.

But he made an impression.

Of the top 10 highest breaking ball spin rates at the combine, Kerkering had half, including a high of 2,985 revolutions per minute.

It is no wonder he ranks his 83-to 85-mph slider as the best of his four pitches over his fastball that tops at 97 mph, curveball and changeup — “For sure my slider,” he said.

Since the combine ended June 20, it has been a waiting game for Kerkering and the rest of the MLB prospects.

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is July 17-19 in conjunction with the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

The 6-foot-2, 204-pound Kerkering is ranked as the 204th prospect, according to mlb.com.

“I haven’t heard anything,” said Kerkering, who said returning to USF is a possibility, “But I hope not," he said. “It’s just the waiting process. You never know who’s going to pick you up. It could be Day 1. It could be Day 2.”

At South Florida

After starting just once in his 33 appearances in his first two seasons for South Florida, Kerkering opened 10 of the 19 games he pitched in this past season. He began the season as the Bulls’ closer, then went to the starting rotation before going back to closing.

“I did almost everything a pitcher could do,” he said. “I like doing both. I had more fun this year being a reliever, because there were more high-leverage situations,” he said. “I got used to doing it the year before.”

Kerkering, 21, thinks his future is in the bullpen, but he's keeping his options open.

“I’m always open-minded whether they want me to be a starter or reliever,” he said. “I’m more than happy to do whatever job they think is best for me.”

Kerkering did not have to make many adjustments going from starting to relieving and vice versa; it was more of changing his mindset.

“As a reliever you can throw 40 pitches and go through with all my stuff,” he said. “As a starter you have to throw 100 pitches. You’re going to see those guys three or four times. So you have to learn what you can throw to them and how to get them out quicker.”

Kerkering said he learned from teammate Dylan Burns, a former Vero Beach High pitcher now in the Chicago White Sox organization, along with training with Casey Mulholland at Kinetic Pro and Tech Innovations in Baseball in Tampa and working with Oscar Espada, who was at Extra Innings in Sarasota, and now is the new St. Petersburg College baseball coach.

“I’m better athletically, throw harder, have better pitches, have better stuff,” Kerkering said. “Mentally. I've got a lot better learning from the older guys what their success was and learning what failures they’ve been through.”

At Venice High

A two-time state champion at Venice High (2018 and ’19), Kerkering had 214 strikeouts, a 1.05 earned run average and .157 opposing batting average during his two seasons on varsity. During his senior season, he went 5-1 with a 1.41 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 39 innings.

Despite his lofty numbers, he was not highly recruited by many colleges.

Kerkering heard from South Florida and Stetson while receiving some interest from Florida, Ole Miss and Virginia.

“Once I heard USF and what they did for their guys and how it was going for them, it was a no-brainer,” Kerkering said.

Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing. 

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Kerkering develops into a major-league prospect at USF