Powerful 1-2 pitching punch fuels McCallum
Bryant, Worden gives Knights a big edge in playoffs.
Among the spectators watching McCallum baseball games this spring are pro scouts armed with radar guns.
They are there to watch senior fireballer Mason Bryant, a 6-foot-5 righthander bound for Texas. The eyes and ears of the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants have been regulars at Northwest Stadium, home of the Knights. Reps from the Astros, Ranger, Dodgers and Braves have taken note of Bryan’s 95 mph fastball.
When Major League Baseball’s firstyear player draft convenes June 4, it won’t be a surprise if Bryant hears his name called. As for his future, he plans to enroll at Texas in August unless a pro team offers a signing bonus he cannot refuse.
McCallum, though, has reached the state playoffs on the strength of two pitchers — Bryant and fellow senior Eric Worden. The Bryant/Worden combo has helped the Knights compile a 17-5 record — 11-1 in District 25-5A — as they enter bi-district play against Medina Valley (13-9-1).
Coach Jacob Alvarez’s team relied on its 1-2 punch from the mound to win the district. And when he fills out his game lineup, his toughest decision is choosing which pitcher to put on any given day.
“It’s a good problem to have,” Alvarez said.
“There are times I’m torn on which pitcher to start but I know I can put
the ball in either kid’s hands for seven innings and know he’ll give us everything he has . ... When you have a combination like that, you’ll always be in position to win the game.”
But Worden knows the scouts are there to watch Bryant. He uses that as motivation. And the scouts should be taking notes. Worden has been almost flawless this spring, compiling a 7-1 record with an 0.26 ERA.
“When I’m pitching, I want to show the scouts I’m a good pitcher, too,” said Worden, who is set to pitch at Angelina College in Lufkin next season.
For now, Alvarez is happy that Worden pitches for McCallum.
“Eric Worden is the hardest working kid on the team and he has been that way since he stepped on our campus,” the coach said. “He has the talent, arm strength, high baseball IQ and a great bat. So when you mix that with the work ethic he has, it sets him apart from the others.”
Alvarez said losing a 3-2 decision to LBJ in early March was “the best thing that could happen to our team.”
“It was a humbling experience and it woke us up,” he said.
That was McCallum’s only district loss of the season. The Knights rebounded with a 4-3 victory over LBJ on April 24, a game that helped them earn the outright district trophy.
“The standard here at McCallum is to win district,” said Worden, adding the Knights must make a “deep run” in the playoffs to call this season a success.
Worden said he benefits by having Bryant on the same team, saying “we push each other” to be better.
This has been a year to remember for Bryant, a tight end for McCallum’s football team who averaged 26.8 yards a catch and scored six touchdowns for a team that reached the Class 5A state semifinals and finished with a 14-1 record, the best mark in school history.
“I was encouraged to quit football before the season — and I nearly did — so I could concentrate on baseball,” Bryant said. “I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t play.”
On the diamond, the Knights have another chance to showcase their school in a positive light. With two workhorses to choose from, McCallum might have the arms to make some noise. No matter what happens in the playoffs, both pitchers know they have bright baseball futures, whether it’s in college or the majors.
“This is something to look forward to,” Worden said. “We’re working hard. And perhaps we can both get drafted someday.”
That time might be coming fast.