This article originally appeared HERE at D1Baseball.com and has been reprinted with permission.
HOUSTON — Patrick Monteverde has formed into the most consistent weekend starting pitcher for an elite team like Texas Tech in just three weekends of action.
Given that, it’s hard to imagine the Red Raiders didn’t even know who the lefthander was a year ago.
As the spring season was shut down for all NCAA divisions and no in-person recruiting was allowed, coaches across the country had plenty of time on their hands.
One of those coaches was Texas Tech recruiting coordinator and assistant J-Bob Thomas.
Two years ago, Thomas was informed of a hard-throwing lefthanded pitcher out of Sinclair (Ohio) College named Jakob Brustoski. Brustoski had almost a five ERA during a stint at Youngstown State before heading off to and having success at Sinclair.
A source of Thomas’ picked up the phone and called him. He said he had to sign Brustoski. He had electric stuff, but even as important, he had terrific makeup and a mature approach on the mound. He could help the Red Raiders.
Thomas signed Brustoski, and though he is missing the 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery, he showed a fastball into the upper-90s during the shortened 2020 season and had a 1.80 ERA in seven appearances.
His source was right. Brustoski was for real.
Fast forward to last summer.
Thomas gets another call from the same source. This time, he had to sign a pitcher out of Division II Seton Hill (Pa.) named Patrick Monteverde. He was in the transfer portal.
“A guy I am close with put me on him last summer. Honestly, it’s the same guy that helped put me on to Jakob Brustoski. He just told me about Patrick’s journey from DIII to DII and just kept raving about his makeup and maturity. So, we put together a few calls with him,” Texas Tech assistant J-Bob Thomas said. “I just got on him last summer and started to watch some video of him. I kept just watching video during the slow times during COVID and said to myself over and over that we need to get this kid.”
So, the Red Raiders did, and it’s been a magical relationship thus far.
Monteverde had a good track record at previous stops from a statistical standpoint, but he had also dealt with some arm issues. He threw just 2.2 innings during the shortened season with two strikeouts and two walks. But this source was adamant about Monteverde being a potential strong addition to the Texas Tech program.
Monteverde had an interesting path to Seton Hill. He tallied a 1.96 ERA in 82.2 innings of work as a freshman, and also struck out 60 hitters during his brief time at DIII Virginia Wesleyan. Then, he decided to head to SHU, where he spent three seasons. He tallied a 2.92 ERA and struck out 78 batters in 71 innings his second season before only throwing in four games his final two seasons at SHU because of arm issues.
In essence, Monteverde was actually a very unproven pitcher when Thomas’ source made the pitch to him to take him at Texas Tech. But a few video sessions and phone calls later, the Red Raiders took the plunge.
Throughout fall workouts, the Red Raiders had plenty of proven pieces returning to the fold. Micah Dallas and Mason Montgomery were back, while the Red Raiders were adding a premier power arm in righthander Brandon Birdsell to the rotation as well.
Then, there was Monteverde.
As fall workouts progressed, Texas Tech head coach Tim Tadlock praised Monteverde. He said in the fall that he was a solid lefthander with pitchability who could help them out in the spring. Then, spring arrived, and Monteverde, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, began to gain at least some traction with some scouts.
“What have you heard about that Monteverde kid at Tech?,” one scout texted me back in January. “It sounds like he might be the real deal.”
He certainly seems to be through three starts this spring. He’s Texas Tech’s most consistent starter.
Monteverde isn’t going to send scouts into an absolute frenzy with his overall repertoire or velocity, but he’s extremely efficient. He’s all about precision.
In his first start at the Division I level, Monteverde had the tough task of facing the hard-hitting Arkansas Razorbacks, who are now No. 1 in the country. He held his own against the Hogs, mixing an 89-91 mph fastball, a 79 mph changeup and an 80-83 mph slider and keeping a potent lineup off balance. He struck out five, walked two and allowed just one hit in four shutout frames against the Hogs. [Recapping the Razorbacks]
He made a strong first impression on Tadlock and the Tech staff.
“He’s just one of those guys who’s really all about going pitch to pitch. He’s right where his feet are most of the time,” Tadlock said. “The guys play good defense behind him — it’s a collective effort — and he’s good at pitching ahead in the count and letting the guys play and not trying to do too much.”
Monteverde put together another strong start last weekend against Houston Baptist, too, striking out nine, walking no one and allowing just two hits in seven shutout innings. He was terrific yet again.
That consistency continued Saturday afternoon in an 8-0 win over Sam Houston State.
With the Red Raiders not doing much offensively against SHSU lefthander Matt Dillard, it was imperative for Monteverde to have a strong start against the Bearkats. And he didn’t disappoint, sitting around 90-91 mph with his fastball yet again, while also striking out nine, not walking anyone and allowing just three hits in seven shutout innings. He threw 83 pitches, with 59 of them for strikes. [Recapping the Bearkats]
“I thought he commanded the fastball really well from the onset,” Tadlock said. “He was pitching down in the zone and the changeup and breaking ball were both good. But throwing strike one is really where it started.
“He’s an older guy who has played a lot of college baseball,” he added. “He’s pretty comfortable pitching [on the big stage] and he’s handled it really well.”
For the season, Monteverde has yet to allow an earned run and has struck out 23, walked just two and allowed just nine hits in 18 innings of work. Furthermore, teams are hitting him at just a .105 clip.
As conference play looms in the distance, the Red Raiders are still tweaking their starting rotation at times. But Monteverde has been the one constant throughout the first three weekends.
He’s also the one pitcher on this staff who had the unlikeliest chance of being on this roster a year ago.
But fate had other plans.
For that, Texas Tech is grateful.
