Baseball: Bailey's 95-mph fastball attracting a crowd

Broomfield junior pitcher has gotten attention from MLB, college scouts in first full varsity season

BROOMFIELD -- If you throw the baseball hard, you get attention. Brandon Bailey has done just that in his first full year of varsity play.

The Broomfield junior is one of the state's hottest pitching commodities with what seems like everybody in the baseball world knocking on his door. There are a slew of NCAA Division-I colleges courting the right-hander. All-American teams want him on their lists. And even Major League Baseball has come calling.

Squeeze all that between baseball practice and chemistry class, it has been a lot for the 17-year-old to swallow. But the fire-baller is not letting future glory cloud his vision of present tasks. And there is no bigger goal for the undefeated junior than helping the third-ranked

Broomfield junior Brandon Bailey is 8-0 on the season as No. 2 Broomfield heads into district tournament play. (Matt Kelley/For BoCoPreps.com)

Eagles win a Class 4A state title.

"We're confident with what we can do in-state," said Bailey, who boasts an 8-0 record. "Teams know -- between our pitching and defense -- that if it's not an extra-base hit, it's an out."

Bringing home the first title banner since the Eagles' 2006 championship season is the prime directive. But at Broomfield it is hard to miss the hubbub about Bailey.

When the University of Kentucky flies out to watch him pitch a complete-game win against Longmont and the Kansas City Royals invite him to a private tryout, there is definitely something special about the kid. In Bailey's case, it is his fastball.

At a May 6 showcase put on by the recruiting company The Baseball Factory, Bailey dazzled college and pro scouts by topping out at 95 mph. It was the fastest his fastball has clocked, but it is hardly the first time he has sent the horsehide screaming.

Bailey consistently threw above the 90-mph mark in Broomfield's undefeated run through the Northern League. And he is not all velocity. There is plenty of brain behind his brawn. Not to give away any secrets, but right-handed hitters watch out for Bailey's slider. That's his favorite punch-out pitch for you guys. Lefties, it is his change up.

"It works, because it breaks away from them," said Bailey, who has 86 strikeouts on the season.

For the right-hander, the last pitch is far from the most important. Bailey lives for that first toss in an at bat and it speaks volumes about his mentality on the mound.

"I like to get that first-pitch strike," he said. "Once I'm ahead, I believe I can get almost anybody out."

Bailey's baseball acumen and attitude has him on a number of top recruiting events and All-American watch lists, including: The 2012 Under Armour All-American team, 2013 Under Armour Pre-season All-American team and the Area Code Baseball Games. And his encyclopedic knowledge of his craft and himself has impressed Garren Estes to no end.

"He really is a student of the game," the Broomfield coach said. "We knew he would be a strong pitcher entering this season and he has lived up to that every time he's taken the mound."

Broomfield's pitching staff looks to give the team a sizable advantage heading into Saturday's District 5 tournament at home. Broomfield has one of the state's stingiest rotations, with the team ranked fourth in the state in earned run average (1.29) and eighth in strikeouts (180).

Bailey is just one half of the equation that has made the Eagles' pitching so successful. Jackson Lockwood has proven equally as potent.

The University of Portland-bound senior has a 7-1 record on the year and has collected 72 strikeouts. And

Jackson Lockwood is 7-1 on the season and provides a solid 1-2 punch atop Broomfield's pitching rotation along with Brandon Bailey. (Matt Kelley/For BoCoPreps.com)

with similar no-holds-barred mentalities, the pitchers have driven each other to near perfection.

"I've known Jackson since I was 10," Bailey said. "We have a friendly competition going with each other. It pushes us, because he is a strike thrower too."

Bailey and the Eagles are shooting for plenty this season and still have their work cut out for them. But when the junior surveys the landscape, 2012 could just be the start of something special.

"Our goal is to win and to win now," he said. "But at the end of the day, with three starting seniors and 10 juniors, you can't help but get excited about rolling this on to next year."

Follow Woody on Twitter: @ElwoodKShelton

Source: http://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/ci_20586425/baseball-baileys-95-mph-fastball-attracting-crowd?source=rss_viewed

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