Easy velocity is one of the most prized attributes in the MLB Draft process, and Jack Bauer has long had premium velocity on the mound.
The Illinois prep lefty touched 95 mph with his fastball during his junior year at Lincoln-Way East High School, but he lacked much control to harness it. A disappointing campaign led to a frustrating stint on the summer circuit, so Bauer shut down throwing early to focus on rebuilding his body and mindset on the mound.
The results were immediate -- and stunning. Bauer touched triple-digit velocity in the first start of his senior year and reached 103 mph in a playoff game, making him the hardest-throwing high school pitcher ever recorded. Now MLB Pipeline's No. 44 Draft prospect, he's also one of the most fascinating in his class.
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Questions remain about his profile. It's rare to see such a jump in velocity, which can precipitate injury concerns. He's mostly held to short starts and often down to "just" the mid-90s by the third inning. His strike-throwing is improved but still more fringy than average.
However, if he can put it all together, Bauer could be the most dynamic arm in the class. And he's eager to keep improving.
"I feel like I've always had this little chip on my shoulder, especially after last year," Bauer said on the latest episode of the MLB Pipeline Podcast. "I especially had a chip on my shoulder because I didn't perform how others expected me to. So I knew coming out this spring to basically just prove everyone wrong and do as much as I could for our team."
That hard, transformational work began with taking three to four months off pitching. Instead, Bauer, who, yes, was named for the lead character of the TV show "24," spent that time in the weight room, bulking up, especially in his lower half.
By the time Bauer returned to pitching, he hit 93 mph in his first bullpen -- and, more importantly, he was happy with the ease of the operation. He reached 96 mph in his second bullpen and got an eye-popping reading of 98.8 his first time facing live batters at the end of February. That long ramp-up, which gave his body and arm time to prepare for the new velocity, was paying off.
"Basically after that, I was like 'Alright, these people in two weeks, they're going to see.'" Bauer said. "I don't think they expected that. And that's kind of how I want it to be. I kind of want to, whether it be at the top or me as an underdog, I just want that kind of pressure on me."
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Bauer feels like he was prepared for this moment, especially after his Griffins teammate Tyler Bell went in the second round of the 2024 Draft to the Rays. Scouts can often outnumber fans at cold Illinois high school games, but he's learned to tune them out and focus on his process. Of course, it doesn't hurt to hear about radar gun readings after his starts.
Beyond the elite velocity, Bauer wields a sweeping high-spin slider that's his best secondary offering, along with a burgeoning changeup that tunnels well off his two-seam fastball because of the armside movement.
As a fireballing lefty, he naturally looks up to reigning AL Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal. Baseball's hardest-throwing lefty starter learned to harness his emotions on the mound and keep something in the tank so he could still fire a 102.6 mph fastball in the ninth inning of a complete game.
Up to 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Bauer says he feels strong in his lower half. With more upper-body strength, he thinks he might have a better time holding his velocity deep into games, although he knows he can't just blow away hitters with fastballs at higher levels. He's worked closely with his pitching coaches on everything from sequencing to holding runners on to the art of a backdoor breaking ball -- and will continue to do so whether he becomes a high Draft pick or heads to Mississippi State.
"Obviously I know I've got a lot more to improve on, and I'm not a complete pitcher whatsoever," Bauer said. "And the last thing, these hitters are talented, man. They could time up a jet if they had to. Just learning how to pitch and just become a better pitcher overall is my main goal over the next couple of months and coming years."
Ben Weinrib is a contributor to MLB.com.