CORVALLIS --Pat Bailey attended the pitching showcase at Tigard High School in fall 2013 to scout a certain player. While watching his prospect, the Oregon State assistant coach's eyes kept darting toward the rangy right-hander on a nearby mound.
He wasn't aware at the time that the pitcher in question was fresh off an unsightly junior-college campaign. All Bailey knew was what he saw: someone with impeccable movement on each of his four pitches.
"I'll take those kinds of pitchers over velocity guys any day of the week," Bailey said after practice Thursday.
The product of that chance discovery is now OSU's Sunday starter; a crafty junior named Travis Eckert who hopes his consistency soon matches his physical tools.