Apaches News
Fri, Aug. 24, 2012 - [Baseball]
(Photo courtesy Tyler Morning Telegraph)
(Photo courtesy Tyler Morning Telegraph)
Article courtesy of Baseball America.

Jason Jester, rhp, East Texas (Jr., Texas A&M):  Voted as the TCL's (Texas Collegiate League) top closer a year ago, Jester had an utterly dominant summer in his return to East Texas. In 31 innings, Jester posted a 0.58 ERA, a 42-3 K-BB ratio and allowed just 13 hits. He racked up 19 saves, shattering the previous league record of 12.


The 5-foot-11, 185-pound righty has a strong, well-developed lower half, fluid mechanics and an electric arm. Jester sits 92-95 mph with his four-seam fastball and can touch 97. His late-breaking 79-82 mph curveball with substantial depth was unanimously rated as the league's best breaking ball by coaches. For years his changeup was a distant third pitch, but the high-70s offering has developed into a true swing-and-miss weapon against lefties. Coaches praise his seemingly inexhaustible work ethic, feel for pitching and command. After two seasons as a starter at Tyler (Texas) JC, Jester transferred to Texas A&M to become a late-inning reliever, but was declared academically ineligible after fall ball and he went undrafted as a junior. The Aggies expect him to anchor their bullpen this spring, and he could be a high draft as a 22-year-old next spring.