Righty Marsh takes lesson from last year's injury

Right-hander Kyle Marsh broke out as a sophomore at Spruce Creek (Port Orange, Fla.) High School when he helped lead the Hawks to the state championship. He threw a perfect game, a no-hitter and struck out 106 batters in 72 2/3 innings.

But Marsh was sidelined last March, when he broke his right patella playing basketball in gym class. The injury ended his season and required surgery to insert three screws in his knee. Marsh missed all of the summer and fall while he recovered.

Marsh has gotten back on the field this spring. He said he learned from the experience.

"I don't take stuff for granted anymore," Marsh said. "I'm more careful in what I do. It made me look through life a lot more and understand what it takes."

Marsh is committed to Central Florida, where he would be a two-way player. But professional scouts are most interested in him as a pitcher. Marsh throws in the low-90s, with a good feel for his changeup. Though there is some effort to his delivery, the projection in his 6-foot-2, 177-pound frame helps offset it.

After missing so much time, Marsh said it took some time to get comfortable on the field again.

"I'm beginning to try to work my way back," he said. "Just playing in general again has been good. Now that it's later in the season, I'm starting to find everything."

Marsh made his most recent start Saturday against Venice, Fla. Facing a team that has been highly ranked in national polls all season, he took his first loss of the season.

Venice is led by shortstop Dalton Guthrie and catcher Michael Rivera. Guthrie, a Florida signee, is the son of Mark Guthrie, who pitched for 15 years in the Major Leagues and now serves as Venice's pitching coach. Scouts can tell he has grown up around the game, and they think he is likely to be drafted in the top 10 rounds.

"He's not real physical, but he has really good instincts," one area scout said.