Rhudy hoping to raise the bar for Kennesaw State
Lots of kids grow up dreaming of a future as a baseball player, but Bo Rhudy is determined to make that dream a reality.
The Gordon Lee senior took what he believes might be the next step toward a future as a professional by signing a letter of intent with Kennesaw State University this past Friday.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for just about my entire life,” said Rhudy. “I used to play football and baseball, but I ended up falling in love with baseball. Figured I had a good chance of having a career in it one day and I wanted to pursue it.”
A 6-foot-3, 230-pound righty armed with a low 90’s fastball that has excellent movement, Rhudy said he has been inspired by working with pitching coach Michael Kelly and that’s he looking forward to playing for KSU head coach Ryan Coe, an LFO alum.
“Hopefully, I can get a good amount of playing time my freshman year,” he explained. “That was a really big deciding factor for me. I had some other interest and an SEC offer, but I took Kennesaw because if I’m not playing, I’m not going to get any better.”
After his freshman season with the Trojans ended early due to COVID, Rhudy gave fans in Chickamauga a taste of things to come as a
sophomore. He posted a 6-1 record on the mound with 69 strikeouts against 16 walks and a 0.63 ERA in 44.2 innings to earn first team AllRegion status.
However, his breakout year was last spring. Amassing a 10-2 record, he struck out 110 batters and walked just 18 in 60 innings, finishing with a 1.62 ERA. Those numbers earned him a first team selection on the Class A Public School All-State first team by Georgia Dugout
Preview Magazine.
He also showed he could get it done at the plate and was one of Gordon Lee’s offensive leaders. He hit .398 with 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 37 RBIs to garner the Region 6-A Offensive Player of the Year award.
“I really like the coaches (at KSU),” Rhudy added. “They’re straightforward with you and don’t put on a face. (Coe) is a really good guy and I like their new pitching coach. I
think he can develop me to make me the best I can be. All of their coaches have backgrounds in scouting for the big leagues too, so that will give me the best chance to one day be drafted too.”
“Bo is a special kid,” GL head coach Mike Dunfee said. “When he was a freshman, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He’s one of those kids that’s going to set a goal and then work his tail off to achieve it. And then once he reaches it, he’s
going to set a new goal.”
Dunfee said Rhudy is not only a pitcher that wants the ball when the game is on the line, but that he’s also turned himself into a dangerous hitter.
“Last year, we told him he was going to have to swing the bat a little for us and he worked his way up the lineup and did an awesome job,” the coach continued. “He worked just as hard with that as he did with his pitching. He just wanted to help the team because that’s just the kind of kid he is.
“I can’t wait to see what he does at Kennesaw, but I don’t want to see it too soon. I want to see what he does for us this upcoming season.”
Rhudy said he thinks he can become a leader for the Owls.
“I can bring people together and make good teammates and friendships that last a lifetime,” he said. “I think I can go down there and help them, especially with them moving to Conference USA, and I hope I can pitch in some more big games as a freshman too. I just want to perform and do the best I can for them.”
An outstanding student that is already taking dual enrollment courses, Rhudy said he plans to study mechanical engineering.
“A lot of people say trying to balance engineering and sports is a tough thing to do, but I’ve had good grades my whole life and I’ve had a good work ethic and the drive to (get good grades),” he explained. “Just like anything else, you go in there with the mindset that you’re going to succeed.
“If I do get drafted in three years or if I get a degree, it’ll be successful. With the dual enrollment classes, I’ll basically go in there as a sophomore (academically) and I should have a Masters degree in three years. It’s a win-win situation.”