College of Southern Nevada pitcher Phil Bickford, a right-handed pitcher who is expected to be a first round pick June 8 in the baseball draft on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.
Saturday, June 6, 2015 | 2 a.m.
About a half-dozen times in the three weeks since the College of Southern Nevada’s baseball season came to a halt, coach Nick Garritano has awakened in the middle of the night thinking about the end.
At one point during the pivotal weekend, when the Coyotes needed to win a double-elimination tournament to advance to the NJCAA World Series, they were one out away from defeating Yavapai College. Instead CSN lost that, and the next day it lost to Yavapai again.
Every ending is tough for a coach, but this one will stick with Garritano for a while. A big reason is that for the entire season Garritano and his coaching staff has glimpsed greatness weekly and he wanted to add to the witness list.
“Junior college baseball deserved Phil Bickford to pitch on the grandest stage,” Garritano said.
Bickford is CSN’s top pitcher — in Garritano’s estimation he’s one of the best pitchers to ever play in junior college, and on Monday he’ll likely become a first-round pick in the Major League Baseball draft for the second time.
Two years ago, Bickford was the No. 10 overall pick as a spindly right-hander out of California’s Oaks Christian School. The discussions aren’t public, but the Toronto Blue Jays are believed to have offered at least the $2.9 million slotted for the 10th spot, but Bickford was the only first-round pick not to sign in 2013, choosing instead to enroll at Cal State Fullerton.
Blue Jays former general manager Alex Anthopoulos said the issue wasn’t money but declined to go into details, as did Bickford during a recent interview. Whatever rationale made Bickford choose college in the first place started to fade during last summer’s Cape Cod League, where he dominated and drew renewed interest in a path that would allow him a shot at the pros prior to entering the draft again after his junior season, per NCAA rules.
Enter junior college, where Bickford could play one season and then enter the draft. Bickford picked CSN in part on reputation and also because he had played in the area during travel ball, and while Garritano knew he was bringing in a talented player he didn’t understand the full scope until the season got started.
“He’s hands-down the best baseball player I’ve ever been around,” Garritano said. “He was unbelievably dominant.”
In 16 starts, Bickford compiled a 1.45 ERA with nearly two strikeouts per inning and a miniscule .147 batting average allowed. His last start, that first loss to Yavapai, was one of Bickford’s best with him striking out 15 and walking only two while allowing one earned run in 7 2/3 innings.
Bickford left with the lead and dreams of the World Series in Grand Junction, Colo., but the league’s closer of the year, Alec Hutt, gave up the lead and the next day the Coyotes were out.
“Baseball is a game that can turn real quick, and it sucked when that happened but it’s part of it,” Bickford said.
For a guy with a pro future, the things out of his hands at this stage don’t need to matter. The reason Garritano can’t stop praising Bickford has more to do with the way the 19-year-old bought into becoming a teammate at CSN and proved himself to be the type of person the coach would be proud to have as a son.
But don’t forget about the pitching. With his long hair and surfer background Bickford can seem aloof, but during each of Bickford’s starts, Garritano watched the pregame ceremony including the national anthem, and when it ended he saw a transformation.
“It’s almost like he switched to another gear, it’s game time,” Garritano said. “And he just had a little bit more than most do and it was damn fun to watch. … We knew something special was going to happen when he pitched.”
Projections are all over the place, but it’s nearly assured that an organization isn’t going to let Bickford get out of Monday’s first round. What they’ll get in return, Bickford said, is a guy with all the skills that made Toronto draft him 10th overall two years ago plus the wisdom gained during that time.
“I was ready to be a big leaguer out of high school,” Bickford said. “Now I feel like I’m ready again, but this time I’m just more mature on and off the mound, because that’s what two years of playing tough baseball does for you.”
The report from hitters, Bickford said, is that his pitches feel like they’re coming downhill more than ever and his changeup, for which he had little use at CSN, is ready to add to the repertoire at the next level. Add in a slider with a little more snap and a fastball that Garritano thinks could touch the high 90s once Bickford grows into his frame a little more and he has all the desired attributes.
Whatever made Bickford turn down the Blue Jays’ offer, he’s ready for the pros this time around. And whatever team takes him is going to have a player who left quite an impression on those who know him best at CSN.
“He’s a bona fide superstar,” Garritano said.
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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