Nelson Eager For Workhorse Role
01/25/19 | Baseball, @GoDucksMoseley
After playing shortstop and closing games earlier in his career, Ryne Nelson is building up to compete for a role in the rotation this spring.
Practice for Oregon's 2019 baseball season officially began Friday, and for junior Ryne Nelson it was a day of new beginnings.
Nelson was the Ducks' shortstop last season, but he didn't take ground balls in the field. He got 152 at-bats in that role in 2018, but didn't do any work in the cages or hit off a tee Friday. Instead, Nelson threw four innings in a scrimmage situation – his longest outing in three years at Oregon, whether in practice or a game.
After finishing his sophomore year as the Ducks' closer, Nelson has spent the ensuing offseason preparing to challenge for a spot in the starting rotation this spring. He's ready for either role, but either way, Nelson is thrilled to be pumping 99 mph fastballs and nasty sliders – along with the other pitches in his expanding repertoire – as the Ducks prepare for the 2019 season.
"I've always been looking forward to being able to focus on pitching, and perfecting my craft," said Nelson, who has 54 career strikeouts over 36 2/3 innings pitched the last two years. "It always felt like it was a little raw, trying to do both."
On raw ability along, Nelson is considered a potential first-round Major League Baseball draft pick later this year. In December, Baseball America projected Nelson as the No. 25 pick in this year's draft, given that he has "arguably the best arm of any pitcher in the country."
The Ducks are still determining how best to employ that arm. Nelson is preparing to be a starter this spring, like his classmate Kenyon Yovan was at this time last year. But Nelson is mentally prepared for the possibility he'll be asked to close again, and Yovan ended up doing to start the 2018 season before transitioning into the rotation.
"If he's not in the starting rotation," UO head coach George Horton said, "then certainly he'd be that guy."
Nelson said he's happy to help in whatever role the Ducks need. Particularly since, either way, it will be on the pitcher's mound.
"I loved playing the field; I loved playing short," Nelson said. "I felt comfortable out there. Hitting was the thing that never came around for me."
A .171 hitter as a sophomore, Nelson entered the summer of 2018 looking to transition full-time to the mound. He headed to the Cape Cod League hoping to build up his pitch counts to handle four or five innings at a time, with an eye toward challenging for a rotation spot with Oregon this spring.
Instead, Nelson was needed again at the back end of the bullpen. He threw 17 innings across 14 appearances for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, posting an ERA of 2.64 with six save and 26 strikeouts against nine walks.
Thus, if the Ducks need him to close again this spring, "I'll be a little used to it," Nelson said. But he's excited about the chance to challenge for a spot in the rotation.
Coming off the summer of work, Nelson kept it light in the fall, throwing two-inning outings. After returning from winter break, the threw a three-inning simulated game, followed by Friday's four innings, over which he allowed just two hits and an unearned run.
Nelson is enjoying the chance to build up to the season alongside his friend and classmate Yovan.
"It's fun because we're good friends, and we still know in the back of our minds we're battling for the same spots," Nelson said. "It's good competition, for sure. It makes both of us better."
Last year, playing shortstop kept Nelson's arm busy enough that he didn't throw often in the bullpen, unless there was a significant break in the schedule. This week he had the chance to go to bed Thursday knowing what his assignment Friday would be, and also to go through a normal pregame routine before throwing in the scrimmage.
Under a standard workout schedule for starters, Nelson will next throw in the bullpen Monday. He'll continue to hone the fastball and slider that were so effective when he was closing. He's also able to mix in a changeup and curveball as a starter, and is working as well on a cutter.
"They're coming along, for sure," Nelson said. "They're a little behind the fastball and slider, for sure, but they're coming."
Given the role he's expected to play in 2019, Nelson was one of three Ducks who met with media prior to the start of practices Thursday. Among the questions he got was about his draft projections, and the pressure that come with them – to which Nelson allowed a sly smile before answering.
"It always feels good to get noticed, especially because I've kind of been under the radar a little bit," Nelson said when asked later about that moment. "But I smiled more because, when you say pressure, it doesn't really get to me that much – I have high expectations of myself anyway. It's more trying to beat the projections."
That would be most welcome by the Ducks as they look ahead to the 2019 season. In whatever role Nelson ends up playing.
