When Michael Baird takes the mound at Southern Illinois University, he warms up to the tune of ‘Put On’ by Young Jeezy and Kanye West, a head-bobbing rap anthem about succeeding for the place you came from.
Baird, a 2014 graduate of Legend, is doing just that. His 1.76 ERA last season was the lowest of any returning NCAA Division I pitcher that threw at least 85 innings.
“I do everything for my family and for all my coaches who have helped me get to this level,” Baird said. “I’m trying to put Colorado on the map and do the best I can for where I came from.”
The 6-foot-5 right-hander, and University of Oregon left-hander David Peterson, a 2014 Regis Jesuit alum, are making big names for themselves, and their state, in college baseball. Baird is the Salukis’ bonafide ace, and has pitched that way early this season, with a 4-0 record and 2.32 ERA. Peterson is off to an incredible start with an 8-1 record, 1.85 ERA and an astounding 82 strikeouts to just five walks.
Both pitchers said growing up playing baseball at altitude has accelerated their growth.
“One of the big steps I took was to realize that, especially when pitching in home games (at Southern Illinois), I didn’t have to do too much,” Baird said. “I don’t have to throw the perfect slider or pinpoint changeup every time — I just pitch to contact and let my defense work, and that’s really helped me develop.”
Peterson said he’s worked hard on fine tuning his approach to becoming a better pitcher.
“I think a lot of my success is the focus and attention to detail that I put into preparation,” David Peterson said. “From high school until now, one of the biggest differences is maturity as a person and as a player and how I go about my day-to-day business — scouting other teams, continually picking up more knowledge about the game, things like that.”
Current major league pitchers such as the Orioles’ Kevin Gausman (Grandview/LSU) and the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland (Thomas Jefferson/University of Evansville) give Baird and Peterson a benchmark to reach for, while fellow collegians such as Arizona State’s Regan Todd (Regis Jesuit) and TCU’s Jake Eissler (ThunderRidge) prove top-notch Colorado arms are in demand.
“It’s always good to see more baseball guys come out of Colorado, and for Colorado to continue to become more of a baseball state,” Peterson said. “It’s a pride thing for me — it’s where I come from, and it’s always a motivator to prove that we have elite baseball players.”
Baird and Peterson are likely to be selected in the June amateur draft and if so, as juniors, they’ll evaluate their options on whether to turn pro, or return to college.
“I was kind of a late bloomer in high school, so a lot of people never expected me to become an elite Division I pitcher,” Baird said. “But now that I’m here, I’m going to make the most of it and show that Colorado arms can pitch with the best that California, Texas and other big states have to offer.”
