At
the conclusion of the 2003 Perfect Game National Showcase at the
University of Nebraska in Lincoln, a Perfect Game scout already had a
hunch the future would be bright for a slight, baby-faced
right-hander out of Hoover High School in Des Moines, Iowa.
“(Jeremy) Hellickson
might be might be the top ’05 pitcher in America,” the scout
wrote about the kid who had just completed his sophomore year at
Hoover High. “His arm action is as pretty as it gets (and) it looks
like he has an extra gear at release point that allows for even more
hand speed. … It will be fun to watch him for the next couple of
years. It’s always fun to watch the very best.”
Hellickson,
recognized by Perfect Game as one of the “very best” very early
in his career, has progressed nicely since that PG event nearly nine
years ago. On Monday the 24-year-old was named the 2011 American
League Rookie of the Year.
Hellickson,
selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth round of the 2005
amateur draft, helped the Rays reach the postseason for the third
time in the last four years by going 13-10 with a 2.95 ERA in 29
starts for the AL wild-card winners. His number of starts, ERA and
innings pitched (189) led all American League rookies.
“I
think I’ve done well,” Hellickson told Cambridge, Mass.-based
baseball writer David Laurila in a recent Q&A when asked about
his 2011 season. “I’d like to do better than I have, but at the
same time, I’ve had some success. … I was walking quite a few
guys early on, so I had to work on staying behind the ball and
throwing more strikes – more consistent strikes. That’s basically
it. Since then, I think I’ve done OK. Overall, it’s been a pretty
good season.”
Before
his breakout rookie season – he made four starts for the Rays in
2010, going 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA in 36 1/3 innings but didn’t lose
his rookie status – and before he spent six productive seasons at
all levels in the minor leagues, Hellickson made his presence known
at Perfect Game events over a three year stretch in the early 2000s.
In
addition to the appearance at the 2003 PG National Showcase, he
performed in 11 other PG tournaments or showcases, including the 2004
Aflac All-American Classic held that year in Aberdeen, Md. He also
participated in the PG Iowa Spring Wood Bat League from 2003-05 and
the PG Iowa Fall Wood Bat League in 2003-04.
He
was a three-time performer at the Spring Top Prospect Showcase at
Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, and continued to draw the attention of professional scouts at
every stop. By the time Hellickson performed at the 2005 Spring Top
Prospect, he had already signed a letter-of-intent with LSU and was
out to impress the pro guys.
“Scouts
attending the (showcase) couldn’t have expected much more from
Hellickson, especially in the chilly conditions,” the PG scouting
report read. “He was sharp, if not sharper, than he has been all
spring. Hellickson’s delivery was sound and relaxed and his arm
action smooth and effortless.”
His
last Perfect Game event was the 2005 Pre-Draft Showcase, also held at
Cedar Rapids’ Perfect Game Field. The showcase was held only a few
weeks before the 2005 MLB First-Year Player Draft, and Hellickson
again wowed the scouts:
“Hellickson
couldn’t be in a better situation for the draft,” the PG scouting
report read. “Only 6 (feet tall) but maybe the best pitcher in
high school baseball. In fact, we think he is.”
This
marks the third straight year a Perfect Game alumnus has been honored
with a Rookie of the Year award. San Francisco Giants catcher Buster
Posey won the National League award in 2010 and Florida Marlins
outfielder Chris Coghlan also won in the NL in 2009. Posey joined
Hellickson at the 2004 Aflac All-American Classic in Maryland.