From the Pen to the Peak: The Rise of Nolan Barrett

SEATTLE- At O’Dea High School, it is rare to see a freshman on the varsity baseball team. Most players don’t get moved up to varsity until their junior year. But that is exactly what we saw with Nolan Barrett. Barrett spent most of his freshman season grinding inside the bullpen, but now he isn’t just a young guy anymore. He is a key player of the Irish’ baseball team.

Looking back, Barrett said making varsity that early was surprising. “Making var was very new to me, and I was not expecting it at all,” he said. The competition was a lot tougher than what he was used to, especially going up against older players already committed to college programs. One of the hardest parts was staying mentally ready. Since he mostly pitched out of the bullpen, he had to always be prepared to go into the game at any moment. As he put it, even the best pitchers have off days, so staying focused was super important.

Over the summer, Barrett had to overcome a tough obstacle as he had to go through knee surgery while a lot of other players were still competing. Instead of falling behind, he used that time to get stronger. Since coming back in October, he’s been throwing harder than before and even added a couple new pitches to his game.

This season, Barrett has taken on a bigger role as a starting pitcher. That change has helped him feel more in control during games. He also plays first base and he is hitting, making him a more complete player. He said being a starter makes the game more fun because he gets to face hitters’ multiple times and learn how to pitch to them better.

Barrett has some important goals for this year. He wants to consistently pitch five to six innings while keeping his pitch count low and limiting runs. But more than anything, he wants to help his team win a state championship. With hopes of playing Division 1 baseball and maybe even reaching the MLB someday, he’s putting in the work every day. Based on how much he’s already improved; it looks like he’s just getting started.

By: Brandon