By Ashley Beach 

Sam Klein’s spring numbers are merely a reflection of the past. In his freshman season at Ball State, Klein threw 14.2 innings of relief and totaled a 5.52 ERA. However, things would soon change for the Cardinal after arriving in Hamilton, Ohio. 

The Bloomington, Indiana, native made a quick impact as a member of the Joes pitching staff. Klein has been a go-to starter for Hamilton this season and dominates in the role. He has started three games for the Joes, however, a certain start caught the eye of the Great Lakes Collegiate League. 

Klein’s June 10 start against the Steam was nothing short of electric. The 6’3” 200-pound hurler threw 14 strikeouts and lasted through eight innings. Furthermore, he only allowed two hits to Cincinnati and a single walk. These impressive numbers were enough to earn the Joe Pitcher of the Week during the first week of honors for the season. 

“It feels pretty good, especially since it’s the first week,” Klein said. “To be able to come out and show my skills to everyone and show people who I am, it’s pretty cool.”

Klein earned the award through his art of deceiving batters and has continued to do so since then. On June 17, Klein reached double-digit strikeouts for the second time this season. He fanned ten of the 26 Jazz batters he faced. The deadly duo of his slider and two-seam fastball creates a deceptive plane in the box and Klein knows how to use them for strikes. 

Although Klein was not a starter in the spring, it has not taken him long to fall into a routine on game days. His easy-going nature helps him remain focused during the hours leading up to first pitch. As for what he does to prepare, Klein says that it is nothing special and basic even. 

“I stretch out my legs a lot first and I go through my band routine and throw some weighted balls,” Klein said. “Then, I’ll play catch with the catcher and go to a bullpen from there.”

But, there has been nothing basic about what Klein does on the mound. 

Klein has already doubled his strikeout total from the spring season and has an astonishingly low ERA. His 0.44 ERA is the second-lowest in the league, even though he has thrown the most innings of any top-ranked pitcher at this time. Also, Klein has only thrown three walks so far this season. 

Klein’s inning total is high due in part to his ability to go late into starts. Since he has become a starter, the righty has developed a way to stay focused through the later innings. Klein likes to sit in one of the chairs in the dugout and talk with his catcher about what happened during the last inning they were in the field and what they can do to improve for the next. It helps Klein stay focused and keep his mind active when his body is not. 

In all three of his three starts, Klein has gone five innings or more. His ability to seamlessly transition through the first half to the latter half of a game has provided extra rest to the bullpen. Luckily, Klein does not mind getting to stay on the mound for an inning or two longer because his favorite part of pitching is getting to show the crowd what he is good at. 

“A lot of people play baseball because (they’re) good at it and it’s fun to do something you’re good at,” Klein said. 

The Joe began playing baseball at a young age and it has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. Klein has been playing since he was age-eligible for tee-ball and his talents have developed immensely since then. 

Along the way, he has also found many mentors to look up to, such as Indiana University pitcher Dylan Steele. 

Klein and Steele were teammates at Bloomington North High School. Although Steele was a year ahead of Klein, the young player took note of the veteran’s leadership style. Having an individual to look up to throughout his journey has been helpful because Klein himself has slowly been transitioning into a leader within the Joes staff as the season continues.  

The month of June is almost over, meaning that the season is reaching its halfway point. Reflecting on what has happened over the past month, Klein expressed what his favorite part of being a player within the GLSCL is.

Klein enjoys that he can pitch several innings within a game and that he has been able to throw for an extended period of time in front of a crowd. Klein understands the value of that experience as it relates to his future goals.

“That’s not something I was getting to be able to do at Ball State, but it is something that I want to do next year at Ball State,” Klein said. “To be able to get that experience to see if I am ready for it is really good.”

Experience is key for any athlete and as the season continues, keep an eye open for Klein. His maturity on the mound has growth potential and he shows promise with a solid rest of June heading into July.