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Jun 04, 2012 - Jun 06, 2012     
TBD - ,
JT Chargois
RHP MIF 6-1 175   R/R
FB
60
40
OF
IF
1B
C
Pop
Range
CB
SL
CH
Split
Knuckle
3/6/12: Jon Thomas Chargois was primarily a hitter and first baseman as a sophomore at Rice (.299-2-31), and worked sparingly on the mound for an Owls team that was steeped in pitching talent. In seven relief appearances, he went an undistinguished 0-2, 13.50, while allowing 17 base runners (8 hits, 9 walks) in seven innings. There was little intent, as well, for Chargois to be utilized anywhere much beyond first base last summer in the Cape Cod League, but he inadvertently reversed course for Brewster when that club was shy of quality arms to start the season and he ended up being used as an emergency fill-in. He served mainly as a set-up man for the Whitecaps initially, but soon was installed as the closer and quickly became a revelation as a pitching prospect. Chargois was dominant for Brewster with a sinking 93-96 mph fastball to both sides of plate, along with a power breaking ball that he was capable of throwing in any count. On the summer, he had seven saves and a 0.43 ERA; in 21 innings, he walked four and struck out 20. Almost overnight, Chargois went from a 2012 draft afterthought as a first baseman with limited power to a possible first-rounder as a power pitcher. Though he is being used both ways for Rice this spring, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound righthander has assumed a much-greater responsibility at the back end of the Owls bullpen and scouts are showing up in droves hoping to catch a one-inning glimpse of him in that role. Through seven appearances for the 11-1 Owls, he is 0-0, 1.29 with two walks and nine strikeouts in seven innings. He has three saves. Chargois has lived up to his new-found fame with a fastball has been steadily in the 94-98 mph range, with the most notable aspect being that he gets outstanding movement on the pitch, even at that velocity. His slider has been a solid second pitch at 85-87, but he hasn't had to use it much because of the quality and movement on his fastball. Because of his limited experience on the mound at the college level, Chargois has some effort in his delivery and doesn't pitch with much finesse, so few scouts project him as a future starter at this point. But he certainly fits the profile of a closer with his nasty stuff, deceptive delivery and ability to throw strikes. After leading Conference USA in total at-bats a year ago while playing every game for Rice at first base and hitting exclusively in the 2-hole, Chargois has merely shared the Owls first base job this season with junior Ryan Lewis. He was hitting just .241-0-4 while appearing in just eight of Rice’s first 12 games. A Louisiana high-school product, Chargois enrolled at Rice as equal parts switch-hitting shortstop and righthanded starter. He hasn’t been used in either of those roles in his time in college, and his career path has seen him switch from almost exclusively a pitcher as a freshman to almost exclusively a position player as a sophomore, and back to primary pitcher as a junior. In his initial season on the mound for the Owls, he went 3-2, 3.29 in 15 appearances (2 starts), while getting just four at-bats. If nothing else this season, Chargois has proven once and for all that his greatest value is on the mound and he should be handsomely rewarded in June for his exploits as one of the nation’s dominating closers.