BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State opens its 2018 baseball season at UNCG on Friday. App State alum and left-handed reliever Jeffrey Springs hit the road Tuesday for a much-longer trip.
Springs, who pitched for the Mountaineers before being drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2015, flew from Charlotte to Arizona to participate in the Rangers' big league camp. Pitchers and catchers officially report Wednesday, a day before team activities are scheduled to begin.
The non-roster invitation is a telling and noteworthy accomplishment, as the 25-year-old Springs averaged 11.7 strikeouts and only 3.0 walks per nine innings last season for the Kinston-based Down East Wood Ducks, the Rangers' affiliate in the High-A Carolina League.
After making 17 starts to open last season, he came out of the bullpen in his last 14 appearances, and Springs has career totals of a 1.44 ERA with 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings as a pro reliever.
"To be honest, I was in a bit of shock when I got the call," Springs said. "Being able to go out and pitch with guys that have made it and are established big leaguers and pitch in front of big league staff, I'm just trying to go out and let them know who I am, what I can and can't do moreso than what they already know. I'm pretty excited and a little bit nervous, but I think it's a good nervous."
In addition to members of the Rangers' 40-man roster, Springs is the second-youngest of the 15 pitchers who received non-roster invites to the big league camp. That group includes 44-year-old Bartolo Colon, and 11 of those 15 pitchers have appeared in the majors during the last two seasons.
Of the four prospects who haven't, two have pitched in Triple A and one has pitched in Double A, meaning the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Springs has certainly impressed people in the Rangers' organization with the potential he's shown early in his pro career.
MLB.com listed Springs as one of
10 "under the radar" players entering Rangers camp, putting him at No. 6 and noting, "He has a cross-body delivery with a 90-92 mph fastball, plus changeup and solid mound demeanor. If his curve picks up, the Rangers might have another left-handed relief option."
In three minor league seasons, Springs spent the first one and a half as a reliever before switching to a starting role. After returning to the bullpen for his final 14 appearances with the Wood Ducks last season, he allowed no runs while striking out 36 batters and walking just five in 22.1 innings. Opposing batters hit .173 against him as a reliever.
"From the get-go, here's everything I have with all my pitches," Springs said. "It's not having to think about how I'm going to have to get a guy out the third and fourth time. You have one, two and maybe three innings at a time with all four pitches. 'This is what I have and good luck' kind of mentality. I enjoy both of them, and whatever they think is the best chance of me making it is what I want to do."
Following his graduation from South Point High School in Belmont, Springs pitched primarily as a starter at App State from 2012-2015, totaling 38 starts over his final three seasons. He went 4-2 with a 4.46 ERA as a senior and pitched into the ninth inning of two league wins, including a complete-game victory in which he struck out 11 batters from ULM.
After being a 30th-round selection of the Rangers in 2015, Springs made his pro debut as a short-season relief pitcher for the Spokane Indians and continued as a reliever through 38 career appearances with Spokane, the Class-A Hickory Crawdads and the Advanced-A High Desert Mavericks. His 26-game stint as a minor league starter over, he's back in the bullpen, now with a chance to perform in a big-league camp.
"It's been a fun challenge to tackle," Springs said. "Whether it's as a bullpen guy or starter or a closer or long reliever, I just want to be able to do anything and everything and give myself the best opportunity to continue to progress and hopefully one day pitch in the big leagues."
