Chicago Cubs: D.J. Herz is a high schooler who could do big things

The Chicago Cubs drafted a high school pitcher out of North Carolina this year by the name of Davidjohn Herz. He could be a strong fit for the future.

As I have probably mentioned before, one of my favorite things to do on an almost daily basis is to scour the depths of past drafts and, more importantly, the late to late-late round picks who made a career out of the game. That, or at least contributed in some manner.

There have been some guys who had been nearly written off before a club took a chance. Heck, Mike Trout was passed over by 24 teams, including the Los Angeles Angels before they rectified their mistake. You know what they say: you don’t make the same mistake twice. Good job, Angels. The rest of baseball hates you. I am joking.

There has been an exceptional amount of late-round talent. This past year the Chicago Cubs selected a high school pitcher in the eighth round. Now I know what you are thinking, “the eighth round is not that bad.” Well, in baseball terms, that is what you call a diamond in the rough, which is what the Cubs could have found in starting pitcher Davidjohn Herz.

Chicago Cubs: Impressing in his senior season

High school prospects are tricky. High school pitching prospects specifically are even more delicate. Herz, however, maybe the one to buck that trend. Starring for three seasons at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Herz was quite impressive.

As a sophomore, Herz played varsity. His first season, Herz made nine appearances, going 4-1 with a 0.24 ERA and one save. He faced 105 batters over 29 1/3 innings, walking only nine and not allowing the ball to leave the yard.

Herz’s junior season was even better. The young lefty saw 65 1/3 innings of action over 13 appearances. Herz managed a 7-1 record with a 0.53 ERA and 105 strikeouts. Again, Herz did not allow a home run.

In his final year as a senior, Herz pitched 56 1/3 innings over ten appearances. He finished the year 8-1 with a 0.50 ERA and 106 strikeouts. By the time it was all said and done, Herz managed to complete his high school career with a 0.46 ERA over 151 1/3 innings, 248 total strikeouts, and held opposing hitters to a .113 batting average.