Myles Upchurch paced a lap around the Petco Park pitcher’s mound in San Diego and took a deep breath. The unwanted fruits of two misplaced pitches took leads off first and second base.
His team for the evening, the National team, led the Americans, 2-1, in the fourth inning of Major League Baseball’s 2024 High School All-American Game on Aug. 14. Trent Grindlinger, a future SEC rival of Upchurch’s — Upchurch is committed to Alabama, Grindlinger to Mississippi State, came to the plate and worked a 2-0 count.
“Well, you don’t want to be bases loaded with no outs,” Upchurch said. “It’s kind of bad.”
A strikeout, groundout or flyout to first or second. He could work with that. The Class of 2025 right-hander developed his own mental scouting reports of every hitter he faced and knew a two-seam or four-seam fastball would bait Grindlinger.
Upchurch heard the bite and whirled around as his desired contact hopped to Ethan Holliday at second base. The son of MLB vet Matt Holliday – and brother of current Oriole Jackson – rolled easily, starting a double play.
Upchurch felt his stress evaporate. Now, he could choose whichever pitch he wanted from his arsenal, and did.
“In these kinds of games, you have to fight all the time,” Upchurch said. “Nothing is given to you.”
Tournaments, classics, showcases and all-star games consumed Upchurch’s summers all through his high school career. An Odenton native, he still adores those he grew up playing with and against in Anne Arundel County, but for high school, he chose St. Albans for academic reasons. It was a risk, he knew.
Ultimately, the path led him to coach Rob Vaughn and the Crimson Tide and, if things all go according to plan, Major League Baseball. But Upchurch knew he’d have to compound his high school work with weeks and weeks of sweltering summer showcases.
Last week, Upchurch flew to San Diego for MLB’s High School All-American Game, an event fielding future MLB draft hopefuls from 15 states. The next morning, he boarded a flight to Arizona ahead of Sunday’s Perfect Game All-American Classic at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field with his constant support figure, his mother Chi’Cara. Other invite-only events dotted across his summer – the Area Code Baseball Games for the New York Yankees’ team, East Coast Pro for the Minnesota Twins’ team, along with various other high-level showcases. Mere days separated them all.
“I’ve been taking it day by day. I know I have big dreams,” Upchurch said. “And I know I can get there.”
In a high school game, Upchurch has five, six, seven innings to do as he likes. In an April 30 victory over St. Stephens St. Agnes, the right-hander struck out 12 straight batters.
In a summer classic, he’s fortunate to get three outs, put on the mound in any situation. In the case of last Wednesday’s game, that meant defending a fragile lead against players who just returned from Team USA qualifiers, sons of famed Major League veterans and established top prospects. On Sunday, Upchurch dealt a strikeout in his East team’s rally victory.
Upchurch entertains two polar opposite mindsets when it’s his turn.
“You can’t really worry about it, but at the same time, you have to,” Upchurch said. “It’s hard for a scout to judge you based on three outs and he’s studying your fastball.” The last few games, his fastball’s topped out at 95.
Each year, Upchurch tries to improve his himself. Sometimes, he said, not everything works out, but as long as he’s working to lower his earned-run average, sharpen his pitches, he’s still on the path to his goals.
And there’s other ways to earn a little attention – a robin’s egg, bright-blue glove for instance – one of several technicolor gloves in Upchurch’s rotation.
“I got some style,” Upchurch said.