Revitalized Cabarcas revved to start the Witten Era of FIU baseball
When the “Coach Rich Witten FIU Baseball Era” begins on Friday night, left-hander Ryan Cabarcas will take the mound for the Panthers against visiting George Mason.
“[Witten] said I earned the start,” Cabarcas said, “and it feels great.”
Cabarcas, who played in high school for Plantation American Heritage, has taken a circuitous route to his current role as FIU’s ace.
He signed with Florida and had some big moments for the Gators. As a true freshman in 2020, he came home to face Miami, earning his first collegiate save in the final game of a three-game sweep against the Hurricanes.
Cabarcas pitched two innings in that 5-3 win, allowing no hits, no runs and one walk.
“When I got the final out,” Cabarcas said, “I looked in the stands and all my friends and family members were hugging and crying.”
In 2021, Cabarcas earned a two-out save as Florida beat third-ranked Ole Miss 6-5. He entered that game with two runners on base but withstood the pressure as the Gators
took the series.
However, in two years at Florida, Cabarcas got just 16 1⁄3 innings, posting a 4.47 ERA. He allowed 16 hits and eight walks, striking out 19 batters.
Looking for more work, he transferred to FIU, where he got 55 1⁄3 innings in 15 appearances last year, including eight starts.
But Cabarcas allowed
opponents to bat .315 as he went 2-3 with a 6.34 ERA.
Cabarcas said he has grown from last year’s adversity, which included FIU’s 16-34 record that helped bring about the coaching change from Mervyl Melendez to Witten.
“I started hot my first three starts last year, but then I hit a wall,” Cabarcas
said. “I lost confidence a bit. I couldn’t find my timing. I wasn’t the pitcher they expected me to be.
“It was taxing on my body and mind, but I never gave up. I feel like everyone has to hit rock bottom once to see what it feels like. But I know how to get out of it.”
Cabarcas said new FIU pitching coach Sean Thompson has helped him
“get out of it” by adding a spiked curve to his pitching package. His fastball comes in at 91-93 mph, and he throws a slider that moves in on right-handed batters.
Thompson taught Cabarcas the curveball grip this past fall, and it quickly became his best pitch.
“It’s a game-changer,” Cabarcas said. “I have a lot of command. It breaks late, dives off the table. I got a lot of ugly swings off it this fall.”
Cabarcas, a criminal justice major who wants to work in law enforcement when he’s done playing baseball, has earned Witten’s respect.
“Ryan is deserving of the opening-day start due to his ability and work ethic,” Witten said. “His curve and slider are devastating pitches.”
Listed at 5-10 and 165 pounds, Cabarcas admits he is only 5-9.
“[But] your height doesn’t measure your success,” Cabarcas said. “Guys come in all shapes and sizes in baseball. All that matters is getting those three outs and dominating.
“When I’m on the mound, I feel like I’m the biggest guy. God gave me this body for a reason, and I’ve never felt better than right now.”
On Friday, Cabarcas will face a George Mason team that has been forced at times to practice indoors because of temperatures in the 20s in Fairfax, Virginia.
“It’s a blessing to play in South Florida, and we’re excited to face George Mason,” Cabarcas said. “It’s going to be a brawl. We’re going to attack from the first pitch.”