It’s safe to say that Marist High School sophomore Matt Littrell is a student of the game of baseball.
“I watch baseball every single day,” Littrell said. “I watch Major League Baseball, college baseball, it doesn’t matter. I want to learn everything I can. Even when I’m not playing, I watch others and look for mistakes, so I don’t make them. It’s really helped me out a lot.”
Littrell’s advanced education in the game has already paid dividends, because the teenager has already learned to throw an amazing five different pitches – and he’s been diligent working on a sixth.
“I throw a four-seam and a two-seam fastball, a slurve [combination slider and curve], a changeup and a knuckleball,” Littrell said. “I’m working on a cut fastball now as well.”
Most kids Littrell’s age have a tough time throwing two, maybe three pitches. He’s now working on an astounding six different varieties. He’s almost like Baskin Robbins with its different flavors of ice cream.
The one that stands out is the knuckleball. It’s such a rare pitch that R.A. Dickey of the Mets is the lone pitcher throwing the knuckler in the big leagues. It’s safe to say that there aren’t any other high school pitchers in Hudson County dabbling with the floater.
“Coach [Chris] Hansen taught it to me,” Littrell said. “I was just messing around with the ball one day and it happened. It has no rotation and drops down at the plate. I use it when I’m ahead in the count. It works well. But my best off-speed pitch is my slurve. It has a lot of natural movement.”
Littrell said he doesn’t know how he acquired the litany of different pitches.
“When I got to high school, the pitches all just started working for me,” Littrell said. “The movement was insane. Everything started working for me. People taught me some stuff and I just made it my own.”
Littrell wasted little time making his mark on the high school scene, winning five games last year as a freshman after enrolling at Marist. He served as a fine No. 2 pitcher to the Royal Knights’ ace Ruben Rivera.
“He surprised a lot of people last year,” Marist head coach Ron Hayward said. “He made a name for himself and did some nice things for us.”
Hayward was hoping that Littrell could continue his role as a pitching ace this season.
“I was a little worried about the old sophomore jinx,” Hayward said. “But I definitely knew he would be our ace. He’s a little stronger this year and throwing with more velocity. He’s definitely more confident know and knows what he’s doing when he takes the mound.”
It’s safe to say that the talented right-hander knows what he’s doing lately.
In each of his last two starts against Union City and then Memorial, Littrell has allowed just one hit. That’s right, consecutive one-hitters. In the Union City game, Littrell fanned 13 batters. Against the Tigers, Littrell went one better, striking out 14. In that game, Littrell also delivered a three-run double to aid in the victory.
For his efforts, Littrell has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Hayward knows that Littrell is just scratching the surface of what he truly can become.
“No question, he’s still learning and still has a long way to go,” Hayward said. “He works with Coach Hansen a lot. I think mentally he has to grow up a little. He has to keep learning, keep growing and stay healthy, of course. But his future is very bright and he knows that. He’s going about it the right way and staying humble.
Added Hayward, “He’s good, but like I told him, he has a chance to be very good as soon as he grows up.”
Littrell knows what his coach is talking about.
“He’s right,” Littrell said. “Sometimes, I get into a little mood and I talk a lot. But when the game comes, I have to be quiet and focused. I am maturing. I think I’ve matured a lot. I don’t get as upset as I used to. I just remain in the zone.”
It’s obviously working.
“I’ve been a pitcher since I was a little kid, so pitching is my role,” Littrell said. “I’m really surprised I was able to throw two one-hitters in a row. They’re both good hitting teams. I threw one-hitters before, but never on varsity. I definitely surprised myself. Last year, I thought I did mediocre. This year, I stepped it up.”
Littrell knows that the future looks outstanding.
“I think this is going to be the start of something really big,” Littrell said. “I’m going to keep improving each year and go into my junior, then senior year with bigger goals. This is just the beginning. It really came to me this year and I think it’s going to come to me even more.”
As long as he keeps studying the game, finding new pitches to throw and maturing, the sky’s the limit for the talented right-hander. Matt Littrell’s star is clearly on the rise. – Jim Hague.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.