By Frankie Piliere
Posted May 9, 2007


With the MLB draft less than a month away, each organization is getting down
to crunch time. One of this year's top prep pitchers is lefty, Jack McGeary.
We recently caught up with Jack for a Q&A session.


Scout.com: First of all, I'm sure it was a summer of showcases for you. How
you do you feel your summer went and what were you able to get out of it?

Jack McGeary: The summer was unbelievable. I got a chance to live and play at
East Cobb, which was a great experience. Living away from home and getting to
know people from a different part of the country was a great experience.
Baseball wise, I was definitely happy with the way I played.

Scout.com: Which event do you think you had your best showing at and why?

Jack McGeary: I think my best outing was at the Area Code Games in
California. That was the best my fastball command has ever been. I also had a
great changeup and great curveball that day.

Scout.com: If you had describe your overall game, what are some important
things you'd point out and basically what should people know about your style
of pitching?

Jack McGeary: Even though I'm not a mid-90s guy, I feel like my fastball is
my best pitch. I can locate it to both sides of the plate and set up my
off-speed with it. I also think that my off-speed pitches are what allow me
to be successful, because I feel confident throwing them in any count.

Scout.com: What would you say is your strongest attribute as a player and
why?

Jack McGeary: I think my strongest attribute as a player is my ability to
pick things up and adapt quickly. I've improved a lot over the past year or
so and I feel like I'm able to make adjustments during a game.

Scout.com: What are your thoughts on attending college versus going pro this
year?

Jack McGeary: Obviously I've got a great option in Stanford, but my goal has
always been to play pro ball. Either way, I think I'll be happy.

Scout.com: What do you feel are the most significant improvements you have to
make over the next few months and how do you plan to correct them?

Jack McGeary: The biggest thing I'm working on now is trying to get more
extension on the front side, which will allow me to hold the ball a little
longer, which should add some velocity. It will also help me to gain a more
consistent release which will help with command. I'm trying to gain leg
strength and groin/hip flexibility to do this.

Scout.com: It seems that you were a player that moved up a lot on many
prospects lists this summer and over the winter. What differences do you
think there were in your game that got you the added attention?

Jack McGeary: I didn't really change anything. I think the added attention
was really just based on the fact that this summer was the first time I had
national exposure. I attended some really good tournaments and showcases and
performed well.

Scout.com: What do you feel is the most important thing an organization
should know about you that they might not see at first glance?

Jack McGeary: I think the most important thing is that I'm a really hard
worker. I've totally changed my body in the last year, and have also worked
all the time on perfecting my mechanics.

Scout.com: What big league player would you best compare yourself to in terms
of style and why?

Jack McGeary: Mechanically, I think I look a lot like Mark Buehrle. I
probably throw a little harder, but he has a great curve, good change, and
outstanding cutter.

Scout.com: Could you describe your repertoire of pitches and the approximate
velocities of each pitch?

Jack McGeary: I throw a four-seam fastball and two-seam fastball. They sit
anywhere from about 87-92 MPH I think. My curve is probably low to mid-70s,
and my changeup is probably mid to high-70s.

Scout.com: You've been praised for your polished skills and command of all
your pitches by many scouts. What do you think makes your approach on the
mound as advanced as it is?

Jack McGeary: I've been really lucky to have some great coaches who know a
ton about pitching, so that's the biggest thing. Also, I work a lot on my
off-speed pitches, even if its just playing catch with them.

Scout.com: How do you feel playing against such strong competition has helped
you as a player?

Jack McGeary: I think playing against and with top competition has helped
greatly. Obviously, if you can play against the best, that's going to help.
Everything has to be crisper. You can't get away with as many mistakes. I
think it also helps mentally. Knowing you can perform well against the top
players in the country definitely helps with confidence.

Scout.com: With the draft coming up, I'm sure you've been getting a lot of
pro attention. How have you tried to deal with all of the attention and just
focus on your game?

Jack McGeary: All the attention is certainly a privilege. It hasn't been too
difficult, though, to concentrate on getting better and what's important.
Worrying about anything else at this point is pretty useless.

Scout.com: What are your expectations of the June draft? Do you have any sort
of early feel for the way things could play out for you?

Jack McGeary: I really don't have any expectations now. The draft isn't that
far off, but I haven't even started the most important season yet. Since this
year's season hasn't even started, I really try not to focus on it.