Local Clear Lake High product Jarred Cosart makes powerful major league debut
The Philadephia Phillies were not sure they had made the right choice when drafting the Clear Lake High School phenom, Jarred Cosart in the 2008 major league baseball draft. They were not sure that their pick would even sign a contract and forego his letter of intent to attend the University of Missouri. After being passed on by many teams because of the likelihood of not being able to sign the talented high school pitcher, Cosart was not selected until late in the 38th round. Cosart quickly became one of baseball’s top prospects in the Phillies minor league organization. In 2011, when the Philadephia Phillies were making a stretch run for the playoffs and the Astros were rebuilding, Cosart was dealt along with minor league slugger Jonathan Singleton to the Astros for fan favorite Hunter Pence. That trade has now come to fruition for the Astros with the recent call up of Cosart to the majors from the Astros Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Red Hawks. Cosart’s first start with the big club was a six and one third inning no hitter until former astro ben Zobrist singled to spoil his unlikely no hit major league debut. Since then the feisty right hander has posted an earned run average under two through his first seven starts and hopes to become the cornerstone of his hometown team’s pitching rotation for years to come. John Granato of Yahoo Sports Radio recently caught up with Cosart between starts.
John: Did you have any idea that your start in the majors would be this good?
Jarred: (chuckles) No, I could not have written it up any better to be honest. It has been a crazy whirlwind experience to make it up to the major league club. It has been more than anything I could ask for.
John: What would you like to see improve drastically as you keep pitching in the Majors?
Jarred: To continue when runners get on, to be able to make my biggest pitch out of the stretch. I need to keep putting the emphasis on that. Also, try and cut down on the walks, particularly the four pitch walks. I am still learning these hitters every day and working harder into making my strike zone smaller.
John: How have things have changed for you in the big leagues compared to the minors?
Jarred: A lot of the credit goes to the hitters and the umpires. When I was in Triple-A, the umpires would give me an inch or two from the movement of my fastball, but the umpires in the Major Leagues do not. The hitters in the MLB do not chase pitches unless you set them up really well. There is a lot of stuff I have to go back and look at. It has been a learning process and now I am starting to get a better idea after every game I pitch.
John: Tell me what it is like to play for your home town team?
Jarred: I could not ask for anything more. The experience to get here was a long one. No one ever thinks about ever getting traded, yet being traded to your hometown made me really surprised. So when it happened, I was in a state of shock. The reality really set in when I pitched my first home game. I grew up watching Clemens, Pettitte, and Oswalt pitch in the same stadium so it has been surreal. It is an honor to think that some of the best pitchers in baseball have stepped on that very same mound with an Astros jersey.
John: Who was your favorite Astros player growing up?
Jarred: I was a big Roy Oswalt fan. That is who I like to model myself after. Roy just came in to win and take care of business. He kept his team in the game and was an even better teammate off the field.