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Super 60 Spotlight: Brad Archer (Lebanon, 2014)

March 16, 2014

Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

Brad Archer (Lebanon, 2014) showed off his electric arm during the Super 60 Showcase at The Max on February 2.  With the top players in the Midwest and several scouts in attendance, Archer hit and event-high 94 MPH on the radar gun.  The 6-foot, 170-pound RHP has signed with Missouri State, but is currently preparing for his final season of high school baseball and the MLB Draft. 

Recently, we had to chance to talk with Archer about his experience at the Super 60.  

PBR: The Super 60 is a big event for senior prospects in the Midwest with dozens of scouts attending every year. What was your mental approach going into the event knowing a lot of eyes would be on you and that it was very early in the season?

Archer: My mental approach was to just go out, stay calm and not try to overthrow anything. My main focus was to show repeatable mechanics and a free and easy fastball. I also wanted to show the ability to throw 4 pitches. I really didn’t expect too much from my secondary stuff since the Super 60 was the first weekend of February and I was still in my throwing program. So up to that point, everything had been on flat ground and I hadn’t started throwing off a mound yet.

PBR: After you finished your workout, what were your immediate thoughts about your performance?

Archer: I felt like the velocity on my fastball was pretty good but I didn’t know I hit 94 until the guys told me after I was finished.

PBR: Was there anything about your performance that you wish had gone better or were you satisfied with it overall? 

Archer: I wished my fastball location and secondary stuff would have been better but like I said earlier, I didn’t expect too much from it since I hadn’t been throwing off a mound. I felt like I achieved what I really needed to.

PBR: At what point in your career did you focus your attention on pitching? 

Archer: I have always been a 2 way player, but after the Midwest Futures Games a lot of colleges started recruiting me to pitch. That’s when I really started focusing on pitching. Last summer playing for the Midwest Nationals and Schaumburg Seminoles was the first time I had played as a pitcher only. It was different for me but now I know what I really want to do.

PBR: What are your expectations for yourself in your final high school season?

Archer: My expectations for myself are pretty simple. I want to improve in every area from last year, especially pitching ahead in the count. Since our high school season has officially started, the focus is more on our expectations as a team. We have a great team this year with a lot of returning starters. Our goals are to repeat as district champions and make a run deep into state and everyone is working hard to achieve this.

PBR: All prospects your age still have some improvements to make. You’re still maturing physically and will naturally be adding strength, but what are some of the finer points of your game or arsenal that you feel like you need to work on to continue progressing to the next level? 

Archer: I feel that my velocity will continue to improve as I mature more physically so my main focus for now is to work more on my off speed deliveries. This includes deeper and sharper breaks on my curveball and slider and throwing any pitch in any count.

PBR: What drew you to committing to Missouri State? 

Archer: After visiting Missouri State a few times, I knew it was the right place for me. I have a great relationship with the coaches, especially Coach Evans, the pitching coach. I really like that they have a proven track record for developing players for the next level. They also have one of the best programs, play in one of the best conferences, and have some of the best facilities in the country. An added bonus is that they are only about 45 minutes from home.

PBR: Is there a pitcher, whether it’s a big leaguer or someone you have played with, that you really look up to and like to model your game after?

Archer: I really don’t model my mechanics after anyone. I believe each pitcher has their own style of pitching that fits them best. I did work a lot with Nick Petree this winter while he was home from the Cardinals. Nick was one of the best pitchers to go through Missouri State and was the National Player of the Year in 2012. He really understands the mental part of the game a pitcher goes through. I feel like I was able to learn a lot from him in this area.

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