Pitching is often a delicate balance between mental and physical barriers. Both components need their own attention, but one cannot outweigh the other.
Nevada redshirt sophomore Owen Sharts is quickly coming to grips with that process.
Sharts arrived at Nevada in 2018 with quite the pedigree out of California's Simi Valley High School. The right-hander won two Coastal Canyon League Championships and was named 2018 League MVP as well as Ventura County Pitcher of the Year. Sharts was picked in the 32nd round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers, but committed to Nevada instead.
His near flawless high school record took a turn for the worst over his first two years with the Wolf Pack. Sharts logged more losses his first two collegiate seasons than his entire high school career. His ERA rose to 5.96 his freshman year.
Sharts' collegiate debut was on the wrong footing, but one silver lining has come out of it thanks to pitching coach Troy Buckley.
“He’s really turned my career around and stopped it from going downhill,” he said. “I can’t say enough about how he’s turned me around as a ball player… It’s nice to have a guy like that who knows the game, so I take advantage of the time I have with him.”
Since Buckley was hired at Nevada in 2020, he immediately focused on utilizing Sharts' ability on the mound—both physically and mentally.
Physically, they've revamped his arm path and high three-quarter delivery, throwing from a lower angle to produce more velocity and movement. The lower arm angle has helped Sharts keep his upper and lower half balanced while getting better extension.
The results were on display last season when Sharts led the Mountain West Conference with 32 strikeouts in four starts before COVID-19 shortened the college baseball season. Sharts was beginning to find himself last season, then Nevada's season suddenly vanished. But that didn't stop him and Buckley to focus on other aspects of his craft.
Mentally, Sharts learned to battle through the inconsistencies and struggles throughout a season. He honed in on his strengths on the mound and found ways to calm his demeanor.
It's rare to see a pitcher take such huge leaps in development as Sharts did during his COVID-shortened sophomore season. But that's exactly what happened, as he pitched with more poise and confidence.
Buckley calls it a transformation.
“He’s a kid who is committed to the process,” he said. “When we had this time off during the pandemic, he kept finding ways to improve. Not just with his body and his movements, but his mental patterns.”
Sharts has adapted to coach Buckley's philosophies, and it's building up to the 2021 MLB Draft. He's pitching to his true potential and could be a mid-to-late round selection when July rolls around. Sharts ranks No. 152 in the latest Prospects Live Top 450.
“I would be lying if it wasn’t in the back of my mind,” Sharts said. “But this year has been about the team’s success and how we can win games. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t I’ll learn from it.”
In a draft full of talented college pitchers, Sharts' 12-6 curveball stands out as one of the best in the class. It averaged the most vertical depth of any breaking ball in 2020. Its tight rotation and immediate break out of the zone forces consistent whiffs. He's found more confidence throwing it in any count, and its improved depth makes it the highlight of his arsenal.
“It’s been years of reps and figuring it out,” he said. “I’ve always had that pitch in my back pocket… I’ve been trying to focus on it more analytically with the numbers and watching the film to see how I can improve its shape... It’s good to have a weapon, and it’s one of my trademarks about me.”
Sharts couples his potential plus-grade curveball with an improved four seam fastball that averaged over 19 inches of IVB last season. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, his fastball is a major benefactor of his cleaner mechanics. He was sitting in the low-90s for most of his freshman year, but now sits in the 92-94 range and flashes 95-96 with good riding action up in the zone.
Sharts rounds out his repertoire with an improved changeup and slider still in the development stage. The changeup serves as a viable third pitch with average shape and tumble. In just over a year, coach Buckley has helped sharpen Sharts' physical talents and mental edge. He had all the tools coming out of Simi Valley, and it's finally coming together.
“We’ve been trying to get into this path of putting it all together physically and mentally,” Buckley said. “It’s still a short time frame because we need him to get out there and perform.
While Sharts has improved leaps and bounds physically, Buckley still holds true to his mental techniques. With each start, Sharts is adapting to unconscious competence- the ability to not think before action. It's simply one fluid motion free of thought and worry.
The same holds true for pitching. Sharts is understanding that philosophy, and it's helped him unlock different aspects of his game.
Any time Sharts finds himself in a tense situation, he frees his mind and focuses on each pitch. Nevada head coach T.J. Bruce has seen great strides in Sharts' mental toughness this season.
"That's where I've been most impressed with Owen is his mental ability to stay focused out there," Bruce said. "That may have been some of his struggles early on, he was just thinking too much. Now he's letting loose and let's his stuff speak for itself."
The statistics may not be eye-popping this season, but Sharts is showcasing his ability to miss bats consistently. He's posted a 5.12 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .208 average with 35 strikeouts in six starts. Sharts' fastball command has been inconsistent at times, and it's led to 32 walks on the year and limited deep outings to this point.
Despite the recent hiccups, there's plenty of optimism surrounding Sharts' potential.
“He’s dealt with more walks this year, but the stuff is going to pay dividends short term and long term,” Buckley said. “He’s being introduced to these advanced things at a young age.”
Sharts has transformed his body and mind at Nevada. He's built upon the obstacles he endured as a freshman and only improved as time progressed.
Two years after his collegiate career was in a state of uncertainty, Sharts worked his way to get back into MLB Draft discussion for 2021.
“I had to deal with that adversity, but the real motivation comes from letting your team down,” he said. “I hate being the weak link, so I had to reevaluate my priorities and be myself for us to win. Going through that was a huge experience, and they never gave up on me.”