Ladd finds a home at Utah State
Greg Ladd just wanted to pitch somewhere. He left the University of Nebraska’s baseball team after he redshirted his freshman season. He then spent a year at Texas Christian University without playing any baseball.
He transferred to Utah State so he could pitch, and pitch he has.
So far this season Ladd has won all four games that he has pitched in. Three of those wins were shutouts and he has an ERA of 0.62.
Thus far, he has struck out 46 batters through 29 innings pitched. That’s an average of 14 strikeouts per nine innings.
Ladd said he’s been a pitcher his whole life. The practice shows in his efforts. He has a variety of pitches he uses in a variety of locations around the plate.
Even though he has a power pitcher’s build he doesn’t bring the heat like most pitchers his size. Ladd says that his favorite pitch is his curveball. Many times warming up between innings he just loops the curve over home plate. It’s a stark contrast to his fastball that he throws in the high 80s to low 90s.
“He’s just efficient,” assistant coach Ernie Rivers said, “he doesn’t blow people away but he doesn’t waste pitches either.”
Taking a cue from the Atlanta Braves pitchers of the mid-90s Ladd likes to work away, thus expanding the strike zone.
Ladd isn’t a one-dimensional player. He works hard at his defense and he says that he would love to play third base.
In Saturday’s game, when a grounder was hit to the first baseman, Ladd went to cover the bag.
As he reached for the throw, he caught the ball but ended up doing a split. He kept his foot on the base and the runner was out.
Growing up in Nebraska, Ladd said he went to countless College World Series games in Omaha, where he got to see the nation’s best play every year.
The many games Ladd has watched have helped make him better. He has borrowed a lot from things that he has seen throughout his baseball career.
“I’m an old-fashioned player,” Ladd said. “I have a throwback windup and I like to pitch away.”
Ladd is as laid back on the mound as he is in person. Many of his teammates have his speech mannerisms down. “Dude” and “man” frequent his conversations.
His laid-back attitude is what forced him out of Nebraska. Now Ladd said he can do absolutely nothing half the week and nobody cares.
Ladd has found a place to pitch and not worry about too many things and Utah State has found its ace for its shot at a national title.
-krn@cc.usu.edu