Big-League Scouts Have Eye On Nwc Pitcher Jeremy Affeldt’s 90 Mph Fastball Grabs Attention

Pitching in the Region IV B baseball final, Northwest Christian pitcher Jeremy Affeldt cut down opposing batters from Panorama foe Curlew with accustomed regularity.

The strapping left-hander, who lives in Medical Lake, struck out 18 batters during the eight-inning 3-2 triumph and drove in the winning run to boot.

Victory sent the Crusaders into this weekend’s state finals at Seafirst Stadium and solidified Affeldt’s position as the Spokane area’s hottest baseball property.

Since the beginning of league playoffs, upward of 20 scouts have pointed their radar guns at the live-armed hurler.

“When the season started, only four scouts came,” said Affeldt. “Word spread, and we got more and more.”

The reasons are obvious, said one scout. Left-handed pitchers at any level are a premium.

Affeldt’s size - 6-foot-3, 185 pounds - and Christian values make him attractive.

It doesn’t hurt that Affeldt throws his fastball in the neighborhood of 90 mph and has a 75 mph curve that is quicker than the average high school pitcher’s. This year he has added a change-up.

“I would say, in the area, he’s probably the number one focus of pro scouts,” said NWC coach Jack Hancock. “I’ve had all 28 major league teams call me.”

The attention has made for a dizzying time in the Affeldt household.

“They’re almost kind of tired of it,” said Affeldt. “The phone is ringing from 6 to 11 at night. They didn’t expect this to happen.”

Overwhelmed by paperwork, he’s even enlisted the help of his sister, Nicole - just back from college - as a quasi-secretary.

All this hubbub is over an athlete with big hands and a loose arm from a tiny Class B school.

“There have been kids from my school who wanted to go to a bigger school for more attention,” said Affeldt. “I stayed around.

“I don’t think a little school hurts you. If you have talent, they’ll find you.”

Affeldt has always been educated in Christian schools.

“At first it was my parents’ choice. They felt I needed the discipline,” he said.

Now he considers his Christian faith as the primary reason he has developed as a baseball player.

Affeldt enrolled at Northwest Christian four years ago when his father, Dave, retired from the Air Force.

He had been stationed here when Jeremy was a second-grader but transferred to Guam, where Jeremy began playing baseball. Later they were stationed in California before returning here.

Jeremy’s mother, Char, teaches at Northwest Christian.

Their son always has had aspirations of playing professional baseball, but it wasn’t until returning here that pitching became his ticket.

“In California I was kind of a pitcher when they needed me,” said Affeldt. “I wasn’t the most awesome, but I liked it.

“For some reason, God kicked that ability in.”

As a gangly freshman, he didn’t throw hard but, said Hancock, was fundamentally sound.

“Everybody knew we had something special,” he said. “His mechanics were so natural.”

Northwest Christian qualified for regionals in each of his four years while Affeldt compiled a 34-3 record. This is the first time in the Final Four.

As he matured and improved his coordination, Affeldt threw harder. This year his control and location have improved.

“In the past he was more of a flame thrower and hopefully it was over the plate,” said Hancock. “Now he is more of a pitcher who changes speed and doesn’t have to strike everyone out.”

Although he is just about doing that.

His earned run average is 0.20 and he’s averaging more than two strikouts per inning while compiling a 10-0 record.

Affeldt credits that to his pitching coach, John Edwards, and with playing American Legion baseball.

Now he’s ready to take a bigger leap of faith in pursuing his desire to play professional baseball.

“If God wants me to go, he’ll make me go,” said Affeldt. “My faith is obviously going to be tested.

“But I also understand, in order to be where God wants me to be, it will take the stuff of faith.”

As well as having good stuff.

, DataTimes