It’s always nice to sit down and read a newspaper or watch a sports report about a young person who has realized a dream; who has reached their goal. It’s even nicer when you know that young person.Last week former JSU pitcher and Jacksonville High School baseball standout Justin King signed a six-year contract to play baseball for the Texas Rangers. Justin left last Saturday for Arizona to play for the Arizona Rangers, a Rookie League, and the first step on the rung of the ladder on the way to his ultimate goal: To play major league baseball.
Those who have known Justin over the years saw a young man, always tall for his age, with the ability to hurl a baseball faster and harder than anyone else in the league.
As he grew older, his fast ball became even faster, almost deadly. Many fans remember one particular playoff game when the very first ball Justin pitched found its way into the back of the opposing batter. Opposing teams were well aware when Justin pitched that he had a wicked fastball, clocked in the 90s.
After the first batter was hit and writhed in pain on the ground then gingerly got up and somehow found his way down the first base line, it took every ounce of courage for others following in the batting order to plant their feet in the batters box.
It came as no surprise to anyone that Justin accepted an offer to play college ball at Alabama. Even though at times he had trouble with his control, an 18-year-old who could pitch as fast as major league pitchers was just too good to pass up.
Things didn’t go as Justin had expected at Alabama and after a semester he transferred back to Jacksonville State, which had to please his parents, Max and Wanda, since he would be close to home.
In 2007, Justin was 1-2 and it was discovered that a circulation problem in his wrist made it hard for him to feel the seams in the ball, critical for a pitcher’s control. After surgery Justin had a 3-3 season in 2008 for the Gamecocks.
While some might think that the stats weren’t impressive enough to attract pro scouts, Justin had made lasting impressions in other ways.
In high school, Justin was invited to the East Coast Pro Showcase and caught the eye of several pro scouts. This past fall, JSU head baseball coach Jim Case had Scout Day, when scouts came to watch the players in an intrasquad game; and they liked what they saw.
“I threw well that day,” says Justin. “They got my info and started calling me. They would watch me throughout the spring and stayed in touch with me.
“Toward the end of the season I was invited to go down to Tampa to work out with the Yankees. It was a lot of fun and I threw the ball well.
“They (Yankees) called me right before the Rangers (in the draft) and said they were about to take me, but the Rangers took me first.” Even though the appeal of playing in pinstripes had to be great, Justin says he “is fine” with playing for the Rangers.
The last couple of weeks have been a blur of activity for Justin who first of all had to make the decision of whether to turn pro or come back for his senior year of college. “I had my surgery, and had an accident my sophomore season. There are no guarantees in life and this was a shot at playing pro ball so I couldn’t pass it up.”
The Arizona Rookie League is a long way away from Jacksonville. Justin will take with him many memories of home and what got him to where he is today.
“There was Coach (Rusty) Burroughs, Coach (Michael) Graben, Coach (Jeff) Lumpkin, Coach (Joe) Johnson and Coach (David) Deerman. They have all been there for me.
“I will remember making the playoffs every year in high school and making it to the state championship game … and the guys on the team, I’m still close to most of them.”
There is one memory that Justin will always have with him, the most important of all. “My dad coached me and he was always out in the yard catching with me and doing whatever he could; throwing balls for me to hit batting practice. He was always my biggest coach. He played with me every single day and learned as much as he could to help me; he and my mom both.”
Justin hopes to be in the Rookie League only a short time before he moves up to Class A ball with the Spokane Indians.
Now it’s all up to Justin just how far he will climb the rungs of that ladder with the ultimate goal of making it to the “bigs.”
