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Q&A with Kansas State Commit RHP Jackson Rutledge (Rockwood Summit, 2017)

November 9, 2015

Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

Jackson Rutledge (Rockwood Summit, 2017) is a 6-foot-7 205-pound right-handed pitcher and has verbally committed to Kansas State. 

Rutledge tossed two-scoreless innings the the Future Games in July, touching 88 mph with his fastball.  He showed a 69-70 11-to-5 breaking ball with late action.  Rutledge is a physical presence on the mound, standing 6-foot-7, and repeats his delivery well for a tall pitcher.  He has loose arm action with a high three-quarters release. 

Last spring, Rutledge worked 32.1 innings for the Falcons, earning 30 strikeouts and finishing with a 2.38 ERA.  He leads a deep class of juniors at Rockwood Summit, who are ready to make a run at the Class 5 State Championship in 2016. 

Here is a deeper look into the recruiting process for Jackson Rutledge. 

PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it as expected? Easy/Difficult?

Rutledge: I really didn’t have that many expectations for recruitment because i was assuming it wouldn’t happen until my Senior year. The easiest thing about it was, once everything got started, I could see who really wanted me to play in their program. The hardest thing was having to decide on just one school and making such a big decision in such a short time.

PBR: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

Rutledge: Distance from home definitely played a factor. I wanted to be somewhere within driving distance so that my family could see me play as much as possible.

PBR: Where did the college you chose first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Rutledge: The first time K-State saw me throw was at the PBR Futures game this year and the video of my pitching of the PBR website. The first contact was when the new pitching coach, Tyler Kincaid called in late September and invited me out to visit him and the University.

PBR: Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?

Rutledge: The best player I faced in the state was Luke Matheny, who we faced my sophomore year in high school ball. He threw a 1 hitter against us.

PBR: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

Rutledge: The most important thing would be to remember that baseball is still a game and is meant to be fun.  And if you love the game enough, work as hard as you can to be the best that you can be.

PBR: What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?

Rutledge: I work with Brian Delunas and Josh Kesel at P3 almost year round to keep in shape and build strength. I also play basketball for my high school.

PBR: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

Rutledge: The most memorable moment so far was throwing back to back no hitters this summer and having Andy Benes, one of my summer ball coaches, buy be dinner after the second one.

PBR: What do you like most about the college you committed to and what were the key factors in making your decision?

Rutldege: The biggest reason for me wanting to go there was because I felt like their coaching staff along with their facilities are going to give me the best chance to move on to playing baseball after college.

PBR: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

Rutledge: Missouri State, SLU, Southern Illinois Carbondale, and College of Charleston were all considered before I decided.

PBR: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?

Rutledge: The event that really started my recruitment was the PG Junior National showcase in Fort Myers, Florida. That was the first time that I had gone to a major showcase and been recognized nationally. Also the PBR Futures Games really boosted my attention from colleges the bigger programs that were also within the radius from home I was looking for.

PBR: Preview your high school season for us. How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?

Rutledge: I think this season we will have a good chance to win a lot of games and possibly have a chance to make a run at state. We have had 5 big time players that have all started on Varsity since they were Freshman.   Coltyn Kessler, Jaxon Passino, Alec Strickland, Conor Dryer, and myself. Our goal is to make a deep run to the state championship the next 2 years.

PBR: Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?

Rutledge: I play for the St. Louis Prospects, Benes, in the summer. I also had the chance to play with Prospects National Team from Texas and BPA Demarini from California this summer. The most memorable moment I have had with my team is just to travel to play baseball all around the country.

PBR: Describe your experience at the PBR Future Games.

Rutledge: The Futures Games was a great experience for me. Everything was based around the players getting as much attention from scouts as possible. It definitely helped me with my recruitment.

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