Persistency pays for Indianapolis-raised left-hander Wynja

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Hayden Wynja’s career as a baseball pitcher has not gone in a straight line.

In fact, the lanky left-hander looked to be at the end of the line on more than one occasion. 

But Wynja persisted through rough patches and finds himself preparing for his third year in the pros with the San Francisco Giants organization.

“All I ever wanted to do was play professional baseball,” says Wynja, 25. “It’s been a crazy, crazy, crazy journey. But it’s been a lot of fun.

“I’m very blessed. That’s for sure.”

A 2017 graduate of Heritage Christian High School in Indianapolis who helped the Dan Ambrose-coached Eagles win three IHSAA sectional titles was selected in the 30th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Atlanta Braves but did not sign.

Wynja (pronounced Win-Yuh) red-shirted in his first year at Purdue University (2018) then hurled 11 2/3 innings over eight outings for the Boilermakers in 2019.

“I essentially got cut,” says Wynja.

During the COVID-19-shortened season of 2020, Wynja got into five games and logged 13 1/3 innings at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill.

At the University of South Florida in Tampa in 2021, the lefty pitched in just two games and two innings. 

“I kind of got cut again.” says Wynja.

One of his USF teammates was catcher Jake Sullivan, son of Florida Baseball ARMory founder Randy Sullivan in Lakeland.

“I gave everything to the ARMory,” says Wynja who landed at Murray (Ky.) State University. “Murray State and the Florida Baseball ARMory are why I’m still playing baseball.”

With the Dan Skirka-coached MSU Racers, Wynja earned the Friday night starter job in 2022. He took the mound 15 times (14 starts) and went 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA, 86 strikeouts and 24 walks in 73 2/3 innings

Last off-season, Wynja wrote the 70-page paper he needed to complete a Communications degree from Murray State.

Signed by the Giants as a minor league free agent July 28, 2022, Wynja pitched in three contests and 3 1/3 innings for the the Orange team in the Arizona Complex League that season.

In 2023 with the Low Class-A San Jose (Calif.) Giants and Advanced-A Eugene (Ore.) Emeralds, Wynja made 29 mound appearances (16 starts) and went 7-6 with two saves, a 4.16 earned run average, 115 strikeouts and 38 walks in 97 1/3 innings. He fanned batters at a rate of 10.6 per nine innings.

He then chosen to take part in the Arizona Fall League.

“It was a super honor,” says Wynja, who worked in five games and went 1-0 with a 7.20 ERA, 16 strikeouts and nine walks in 10 innings. His K-per-9 rate with the Scottsdale Scorpions was 14.4.

Throwing from a high three-quarter arm angle, Wynja delivers a four-seam fastball that traveled at 90 to 94 mph and a hard slider that went 81 to 84 mph.

“That’s my swing-and-miss pitch,” says Wynja. “I’ve had a couple of hitters call it the ‘ghost ball.’ — you can’t quite see the spin.

“I execute my slider really well. I haven’t developed nearly what I will be. I’m not a polished product. I don’t go into outings trying to strike out guys ever. But I try to attack and get ahead in the count. My thought process is when it gets to 1-2 or 0-2, they’re mine every time. I have that much trust in my slider.

“I put people away quick.”

In 2023, he threw his change-up 4 percent of the time and is now working toward 15-percent usage.

It was also in the AFL that Wynja began diving into his release point.

At 8 feet, 2 inches his extension is one of the longest in baseball.

Wynja joined an exclusive club on May 13, 2023 when he threw an immaculate inning (nine pitches and nine strikes) against Lake Elsinore.

“That was crazy,” says Wynja. “That’s one of those things you never think about having.”

Beginning the season as San Jose’s closer, Wynja was moved to the starting rotation and it was in the final inning of one of his first starts that he went immaculate.

San Jose pitching coach Dan Runzler told Wynja to empty the tank and that’s what he did.

The goal-oriented Wynja only held one job before joining the Giants and that was as grocery store bagger for a few months in his early teens. As a minor leaguer he does not make lots of cash, but he manages and uses Airbnb while traveling to train.

“I’m getting paid for pitching,” says Wynja. “It’s hard to complain.”

One of Wynja’s goal this off-season is to put on some pounds.

The 6-foot-9 southpaw is currently tips the scales at 218 (up from 205 at season’s end). 

“The idea is to get to up to 220 to 225,” says Wynja. “I heard that’s where (6-foot-10 Hall of Famer and lefty) Randy Johnson sat at.

“Putting on weight does a couple of things for me. It’ll provide me a lot of consistency with my delivery. I’ll stay strong and it’ll help my velo increase. As my weight goes up I’ll become a better pitcher.”

Wynja returned to Indianapolis in mid-November. After a couple weeks of rest, he trained at PRP Baseball in Noblesville, Ind., during the week with some weekend workouts at RoundTripper Sports Academy in Westfield, Ind. He started his throwing progression a couple of weeks ago.

“It’s great to be from Indiana and play baseball,” says Wynja. “We have a lot of resources.”

At PRP, Wynja got to observe and talk with big leaguers Tim Herrin and Bryan Hoeing. Both 6-foot-6, lefty Herrin is a Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High School graduate and former Indiana University hurler now with the Cleveland Guardians and righty Hoeing is a Batesville (Ind.) High School alum who shined at the University of Louisville and is now with the Miami Marlins.

The day after Christmas, Wynja hit the road. The plan was to see his girlfriend in Atlanta and fly to New York to spend time with family while celebrating father Brad Wynja’s birthday (Hayden is the oldest sibling of two blended families and has a sister — Bella Wynja — who plays volleyball at Mercer University in Macon, Ga.). 

After vacation, Wynja goes back to Atlanta and then heads to the Florida Baseball ARMory — something he did last winter — to ramp up for spring training in Scottsdale.

“I’ll be around a whole new set of big leaguers,” says Wynja. Among those is Seattle Mariners 6-foot-6 right-hander Logan Gilbert. “When I’m a big leaguer I hope to look like (Gilbert). We have similar builds. We move similar. We think about pitching in similar ways. I could pick his brain for hours and hours and hours.

“(FBA gives me a) great environment for me to buy in and really improve. I want to learn how big leaguers train in the off-season — how they eat, sleep, recover. I know I have one shot at this. I’m going to emulate these guys who are super-successful.

“You want to surround yourself with who you want to be or where you’re trying to go.”

Hayden Wynja’s immaculate inning. (San Jose Giants Video)

Hayden Wynja. (San Jose Giants Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (San Jose Giants Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (San Jose Giants Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (San Jose Giants Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (Eugene Emeralds Image)

Hayden Wynja. (Eugene Emeralds Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (Eugene Emeralds Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (Scottsdale Scorpions Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (Scottsdale Scorpions Photo)

Hayden Wynja. (Scottsdale Scorpions Photo)

Right-hander Fender preparing for fifth year at Murray State

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Ryan Fender is spending the summer of 2023 in bounce-back mode.
A 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-handed pitcher, Fender is preparing for his fifth and final year at Murray (Ky.) State University. His 2023 season was cut short by a sprained Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) experienced in Week 2.
“I definitely do prefer starting,” says Fender. “At the beginning of the year I got myself into the weekend rotation and was going to be our Sunday starter.”
Fender is doing his rehabilitation in Crown Point, Ind., where he graduated from high school in 2019. He says he expects to be throwing again in mid-July.
“It’s the end of a long process,” says Fender, 22. “I should be good to go next spring.”
Fender made two mound appearances (both starts) and was 0-1 with nine strikeouts and four walks in 8 2/3 innings in 2023.
In four seasons at Murray State (2020-23), the righty has pitched in 28 games (17 in relief) and recorded 49 strikeouts and 37 walks in 51 1/3 innings.
Fender earned a Construction Management and Architecture degree in the spring and will pursue an online Master of Business Administration while playing for the MSU Racers in 2023-24.
Dan Skirka is head coach at Missouri Valley Conference member Murray State and Steve Adkins is pitching coach.
“He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” says Fender of Skirka. “He truly is a players’ coach. He cares about us as humans more than anything.
“I had trouble my first couple years with command and not pitching very well, results-based issues. He never gave up on me and kept giving me chances. Eventually we got it all turned around.”
While he was still Crown Point High School, Fender was recruited by Kevin Moulder and decided to hold to his commitment when Moulder left.
Adkins has helped Fender with the mental side of pitching.
“You get to this level (NCAA D-I) everybody’s got good stuff,” says Fender. “That’s not a separator. The separator is how well you can execute no matter the situation and where you’re at mentally.”
Adkins is fond of an expression that’s a twist on the commercial with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Mark McGwire and Heather Locklear and “Chicks Dig the Long Ball” — “Chicks Dig Mound Presence.”
Using a three-quarter overhand arm slot, Fender throws a four-seam fastball, change-up, curveball and slider.
The four-seamer has natural run on it. He got it up to 93 mph in fall 2022 scrimmages. The pitch usually sits at 89-90.
Fender employs a modified “circle” change.
“I flip the ball around a little bit,” says Fender of his grip.
Early in his pitching life, Fender took lessons from Joe Plesac and learned his curve.
“My middle finger puts pressure on the ball and I put my pointer finger where it’s comfortable,” says Fender.
Some call it a “knuckle” curve, some a “spike” curve. Fender says the first description is deceiving since the action is not like a fluttering knuckleball.
He recently added the slider to his pitch mix.
“The movement profile is more like a cutter,” says Fender. “It stays on a vertical plane but horizontally it moves 7 inches maybe.”
Born in Grand Rapids, Mich., Fender moved to Crown Point with his family around age 3.
From 6-12, he played at Crown Point Little League then Crown Point Babe Ruth.
Travel teams included the Dave Griffin-coached Outsiders Baseball Club, Troy Drosche-coached 17U Indiana Bulls and Shane Brogan-coached 18U Midwest Irish. He also played in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in 2021.
Fender’s coach at Crown Point High was Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Steve Strayer.
“I loved playing for Coach Strayer,” says Fender. “He always pushed us to the edge of our abilities. He got the best out of his players.
Another big thing about the culture Coach Strayer has at Crown Point. It’s like you’re truly part of a family when you’re playing. I still talk to a bunch of kids I played with.”
In 2019, Fender was an IHSBCA and Prep Baseball Report Indiana all-stater as well as an IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series participant. He was MVP of the Duneland Athletic Conference and on the first teams for the all-area squads named by the Northwest Indiana Times and Post-Tribune.
For his prep career, he was 14-4 with a 1.02 ERA and 203 strikeouts. He posted an 0.61 ERA with 126 K’s as a senior. He was IHSBCA Academic All-State in 2019 and a four-time Scholar-Athlete at Crown Point.
The Bulldogs were DAC champions in 2017 and 2019. CP was sectional champions in 2019.
Mike and Paula Fender have two children — Emily and Ryan.
Mike Fender is an Certified Orthotic Fitter and Paula Fender Vice President of Credit Risk Governance at Centier Bank. Emily (Fender) Sizemore lives in Crown Point.

Ryan Fender. (Murray State University Photo)

Ryan Fender. (Murray State University Photo)

Ryan Fender. (Murray State University Photo)

Scully says much goes into developing Ball State pitchers

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

As Ball State University develops baseball pitchers, one approach does not fit all.
Each individual is assessed and brought along while keeping in mind what is best for them.
“We’re not making a broad stroke,” says Larry Scully, the Cardinals pitching coach since August 2019. “Everyone is different in terms of their needs.”
Scully, who began his coaching career in 1992 and has mentored 16 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft selections, uses the example of a freshman arriving on the Muncie, Ind., campus in the fall.
That hurler is introduced to Bill Zenisek, Ball State’s baseball strength & conditioning coach.
“He gets a measurement of movement for all the players,” says Scully. From this evaluation, which includes a TPI movement screening, specific exercises are prescribed that will help them become an efficient athlete.
Players are introduced to proper nutrition and the weight room and learn that terminology.
Rapsodo equipment is used during bullpen sessions and the motion-capture data is used for development as is Synergy slow-motion camera feedback.
Then there’s the throwing program.
“We get to see how the arm moves,” says Scully.
As a part of that there is long toss. Some will go long and high and up to 300 feet the day after they throw and others will focus on mechanics and toss on a line for distance.
Through it all, a pitcher’s delivery is checked for efficiency.
How does he start?
How does he drive down the mound?
How does he finish?
Since Scully is Driveline-certified, the Cardinals will use bands, PlyoCare Balls and mediBalls in training.
Bullpen sessions may be geared toward refining a certain pitch or location.
A pitcher’s workload — heavy or light in terms of innings or the number or intensity pitches — will also play into training.
Fall ball began at Ball State the first week of September and just recently concluded.
Pitchers worked alone the first two weeks and were then incorporated into team practices and scrimmages. Then adjustments were made during individual work.
Until Dec. 3, pitchers will work eight hours a week, including strength sessions and 45 minutes a day Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with their pitching coach.
“We’ll try to maintain what they do well and get better to help us win,” says Scully.
Before coming to Ball State, Scully spent five seasons at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., where he worked with Braves head coach Elvis Dominguez.
“We were one of the top academic schools in the Missouri Valley Conference,” says Scully, who also served as Bradley’s recruiting coordinator. the 2019 Braves led the MVC in earned run average (3.37), fewest hits allowed per game (7.21) and WHIP (1.27).
What drew Scully to the Cardinals?
“Ball State has a rich tradition in winning and developing pitchers,” says Scully.
At BSU, Scully joined head coach Rich Maloney, who became the 27th active NCAA Division I coach to earn his 800th career coaching win in 2019. To date, Maloney is 877-581-1 (546-337-1 in his second stint with Ball State) in 26 seasons. He has coached 65 players who were drafted 72 times. He’s coached six first-rounders with only one being drafted out of high school. The most-recent is right-hander Drey Jameson (34th overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019).
Maloney paid Scully a compliment during the interview process.
“Everywhere you’ve been the pitching staff has gotten a bump,” says Scully of Maloney’s words.
The 2021 MLB Draft was very satisfying for Scully.
Three pitchers who the coach helped hone his craft were taken in the first seven rounds — Ball State’s Chayce McDermott (fourth round by the Houston Astros) and Bradley’s Brooks Gosswein (fourth round by the Chicago White Sox) and Theron Denlinger (seventh round by the White Sox).
When looking at pitching potential, Ball State recruiting coordinator Blake Beemer is often drawn to athletes of a certain build.
“They are long and lean with loose arm action,” says Scully. “Others might not be that, but they may be left-handed and can get left-handers out.
“Blake does a good job of finding low-lying fruit. Here’s something we can probably fix (about the pitcher’s mechanics or pitch selection).
“There’s a lot of moving parts. Everyone sees the final product, but there’s a lot of work that goes into it.”
Prior to Bradley, Scully was pitching coach at Murray (Ky.) State University (2014), Lamar (Colo.) Community College (2010-13), assistant at Saint Louis University (2007), head coach at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. (2000-06) and assistant at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa (1999) and Indiana Hills Community College in Centerville, Iowa (1992-96).
Dan Skirka was a Murray State assistant when Scully was there and is now the Racers head coach.
Scully was born in Toronto and played at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in 1986. His head coach was Jim Ridley, who was later inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Ridley twins — Jeremy and Shayne — were teammates who wound up playing at Ball State and were both drafted in 2000 (Jeremy Ridley by the Toronto Blue Jays and Shayne Ridley by the Baltimore Orioles.).
“Jim was a tremendous influence on me,” says Scully. “He was a terrific coach and a terrific person.
“Some are just very lucky. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some very good baseball people.”
A left-handed pitcher, Scully competed in the Junior Olympics at 18U and then played for and coached with Rick Mathews (now in the Colorado Rockies organization) at Indian Hills and played for Joel Murrie (now with the Los Angeles Angels) at Western Kentucky University.
Scully earned an English Literature from WKU in 1992 and master’s degree in Sports Administration from the United State Sports Academy in 1994. 
“It was my intent to be an English teacher and baseball coach,” says Scully. “I learned that’s tough gig. Both require a lot of time. Now I’m helping daughter now with her grammar.”
Larry and wife Shari have six children from 30 down to eighth-grader Ava. Shari Scully has taught for nearly 30 years and is employed as a sixth grade Language Arts teacher at Tremont (Ill.) Middle School.

Larry Scully (Ball State University Photo)