Jack Wilhoit recently committed to San Diego State baseball and there is a ton of upside with this young pitcher who is still in his junior year. As far as motivation goes, Wilhoit is not short of it. He will succeed in the game he loves. There is no doubt in that. 

Losing a loved one can be debilitating.

In some cases, it can cripple a person and leave them unfulfilled for life.

Recent commitment to SDSU baseball, Jack Wilhoit endured some rough times as a child. His father, Peter, was diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away when the young pitcher was just 10 years old after a three-and-a-half-year battle with the disease. Jack Wilhoit’s love for the game comes from his parents. His father, in particular, was responsible for motivating him to the highest degree.

Wilhoit is a junior in high school in Boca Raton, Florida. The right-handed pitcher still has two full seasons of ball at that level before his collegiate career begins.

The velocity on this young pitcher is rising relatively fast. Wilhoit is topping out at 93 mph right now, but most feel this is only the tip of the iceberg. “My sophomore season I was topping out at 86-87 mph. I took like two weeks off to tweak my mechanics and work on some stuff. I worked with Gavin Adams a little bit. He was just drafted to the Pirates and went to my high school,” Wilhoit said.

The two pitchers worked on several things and the end product was a more efficient Wilhoit. “He helped me create momentum. I shot up to 89 in the first game I pitched after working with him. I was in Georgia over the summer, and I thought I was hitting high 80s with my fastball. After the game, I got to the team bus and noticed they had me at 90 mph. I was like ‘Yo, this is crazy.”

Wilhoit dreamt his whole young life about throwing 90 mph and instantly it was done. Those amendments to his mechanics were an indication that he was capable of more on the mound. Wilhoit is still working on his motion. It is a never-ending process as his body fills out. He is already 6-foot-4. When discussing who has been instrumental lately, he points to two of his coaches. “I would say my head coach for high school Pete Graffeo and my summer coach at Elev8 (Todd Moser). Coach Todd helped me to keep my glove out on front of me and not flail it. They helped me put on size and move down the mountain more efficiently. I am getting into my legs a little more now,” Wilhoit said.

His power fastball will get better the more he fills out. At 185 pounds presently, there is room for him to get stronger.

The fastball will be a plus pitch for this youngster, but secondary offerings are a necessity as he raises his level of play. “With my secondary, I am featuring a changeup and a slider. My changeup plays better than my slider right now. That is why I am focusing on my slider before I get to San Diego and making sure I got that down. It has been a little iffy, but I am getting the hang of it. That is what I am working on most right now,” Wilhoit tells EVT. In high school, when you throw in the 90s, secondary is not really needed. He recognizes that fact, but in time the young pitcher is hopeful to be a complete pitcher.

You cannot control things on the mound. Bad calls happen. Players make errors. Sometimes a great pitch results in a bloop hit. These are part of the game and getting through these adverse moments are what truly make a pitcher great. Wilhoit is unafraid of these situations and relishes them when they happen. “I try to flush it out right away. I just focus on the next batter and get the job done,” Wilhoit said.

Wilhoit has personal goals of staying healthy. He would like to hit 95 mph soon and would love to end his junior year with a sub 1.00 ERA. Beyond that, his intention is to be the best he can be. “My overall goal is to just get better and be more consistent. The end goal is to become a better pitcher all around,” Wilhoit said.

To say he has experienced life is an understatement. Most young players his age have not been through the ringer. But, in talking to this young pitcher, he is wise beyond his years. The maturity of this man is way off the charts even though he is still deep within his teenage years. In speaking to him, I walked away in awe of his strength.

We talked about his commitment to SDSU before he even threw a pitch for his junior year in high school. “It is insane. I am super fortunate to be able to do that,” Wilhoit said about the commitment. This is something he is proud of and rightfully so.

Motivation is huge in baseball. The length of a season can be maddening, and the nuances of the game can be incapacitating to some. Wilhoit has a special type of motivation. One that can easily drive someone off the cliff. But yet, he perseveres on and is achieving his goals. “My dad got me into baseball when I was three years old. He passed away when I was 10 so I am just trying to fulfill what we talked about when I was younger,” Wilhoit explains in a somber way.

Jack Wilhoit’s father Peter never played baseball in college. He was a high school ball player but never had the talent of his young son. Peter coached his son growing up and planted the seed about the game. He was there for Jack while dealing with a crippling disease that ultimately took his life.  The bravery of this young pitcher is admirable. He is a hero. I am sure his father would agree. “It was hard at first because my dad and I were really close. He always coached me, and we always played catch. It was an adjustment period when he wasn’t around. I just need to keep pushing for him. Basically, do what we always talked about. Playing college and hopefully one day in the major leagues,” Wilhoit explains.

Jack points to his mom’s strength as well in guiding him. Jack and his older sister were in great hands with their mom. “Honestly, I would say both my mom and dad are my greatest motivation.”

The young pitcher visited the city last week with his mother and fell in love. “I was just there this past weekend and that is when I decided to pull the trigger and commit. The city is super pretty. We went to Coronado Island and La Jolla. I love how there are mountains there too. It is a beautiful place. It is similar to Florida (the vibe) which I really liked. I just felt at home when I stepped on campus,” Wilhoit tells EVT.

Assistant baseball coach Julius McDougal Jr. is the recruiting coordinator for the Aztecs. Coach McDougal left a great impression on Wilhoit and made his decision easier. “In my opinion, coach McDougal is really down to earth. He is a super funny guy, and I love him a lot. He is a player’s coach. You can tell as he connects with you. He almost feels like one of the boys and you can talk to him,” Wilhoit explained. For a young player to connect with a coach is vital. Especially when he is coming from across the country.

The two of us spoke about more about SDSU and Tony Gwynn in particular. Coach Gwynn is well loved in the area and responsible for the further growth of the sport in San Diego. The school has a deep history of grooming players for the major leagues. There is no shortage of Aztec alumni in MLB. Jack Wilhoit is well aware of this fact. “The legacy (of the school) is to keep representing the city itself. and to keep Tony Gwynn’s name around baseball for as long as possible. That is happening and it’s a great thing,” Wilhoit said.

His collegiate years are still two years away, but the right-handed power pitcher is excited. “I am looking forward to competing and going to Omaha. The end goal is to go to Omaha and bring San Diego a championship,” Wilhoit explains. His goal is success and not just for himself, but the whole program. Wilhoit is a competitive winner.

He left our conversation with this one statement. Even though we won’t see the man at SDSU until 2027. “I am coming to San Diego to win.”

End of story.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.