Ohio State then-junior infielder Zach Dezenzo (4) stands on the sidelines before the Ohio State-Indiana game on April 3. Ohio State won 6-0. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Growing up, Zach Dezenzo studied baseball as he worked toward his goal of one day playing in the big leagues, watching plenty of Derek Jeter highlights from his days with the New York Yankees.
Dezenzo said his father played a large role in his development, helping him progress through T-ball, coach pitch, high school and three seasons into his current collegiate baseball career. Now, Dezenzo’s dedication could help the Buckeye junior shortstop realize his dream as he’s eligible for the MLB draft, set to begin Sunday.
“I feel like if you can dominate the backside and the outside pitches, then you have a better chance to become more dominant as you grow older, get stronger on those inside pitches and you learn how to pull the ball later on,” Dezenzo said. “That was just a little bit of my dad and just growing up and him teaching me how to swing the bat a little bit.”
Dezenzo isn’t the only Buckeye anxious if he will hear his name called during the draft, held Sunday through Tuesday. It’s no secret that Ohio State’s baseball program offers intriguing prospects, like when approximately 20 scouts were in attendance for redshirt junior left-hander Seth Lonsway’s 17-strikeout complete game in April.
Lonsway, who was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 19th round in 2017 before choosing to attend Ohio State, presents a case for selection once again. The Celina, Ohio, native ranks No. 153 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 draft prospects list as he posted top-five marks in opponent batting average and strikeouts within the Big Ten Conference this year.
The fastballs from junior right-handers TJ Brock and Jack Neely could catch the eye of a big-league team, and the latter of the two has reportedly hit 100 mph on radar guns.
But perhaps no Ohio State pitcher boosted their draft stock more this spring than junior Garrett Burhenn. The 6-foot-3 right-hander led the Buckeyes with 80 1/3 innings pitched, posting a conference-best seven wins and 91 punch outs.
“I think it goes back to all who I had around me because when I came in as a freshman, I didn’t necessarily know the Friday, Saturday and Sunday roles,” Burhenn said. “I didn’t know what those were. I think just getting on campus for me and surrounding myself and kind of finding my routine is what kind of got me into the position I did.”
Burhenn settled into his role as a weekend starter and found himself with the ball more often than not on Friday nights this year, even earning back-to-back nods on Opening Day the past two seasons.
The Indianapolis native put a bow on his campaign by striking out 11 in each of his last two starts, including a complete game at Indiana May 23. Burhenn complements his mid-90s fastball with a wipeout slider, which was particularly impactful during his nine innings of brilliance against his hometown Hoosiers.
Head coach Greg Beals said he recruited Burhenn with player development as a focal point, and with the right-hander’s commitment to getting better, the two ideas have meshed well enough to present Burhenn with a chance to pursue professional opportunities in the future.
“Garrett trusts himself, he trusts the work and the preparation to put himself in position to be successful,” Beals said. “It’s because of the trust he has in his work and preparation, and he just goes out and he competes with what he’s got.”
While breakout freshman outfielder Kade Kern burst onto the scene and led the team in batting average, hits and on-base percentage, he still has two more seasons before he could depart in the draft.
Redshirt senior Conner Pohl, however, is one Buckeye bat who is in his final year of draft eligibility. The Second Team All-Big Ten first baseman provides a big left-handed swing with a lot of pop, finishing top four in the Big Ten with 13 home runs.
Like Burhenn, though, no Buckeye improved his prospects more offensively than Dezenzo.
The shortstop collected hits in six of his final eight games, mashing three home runs in his last three games. Dezenzo earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors twice, including for the final weekend of the season upon hitting .500 and driving in a career-high six RBIs May 28.
Beals, who said he’d love to have the 6-foot-4 infielder return and bolster Ohio State’s lineup during his senior season, spoke highly of Dezenzo’s preparation that may ultimately lead him to professional opportunities.
“When Z is calm and trusting himself, he’s an outstanding baseball player,” Beals said. “Zach takes himself very seriously, cares a ton, works a lot and sometimes puts too much pressure on himself. When we prepare like he prepares, he needs to trust that and just go out and play at game time, because he’s certainly ready.”
The pandemic largely impacted the MLB draft, shortening the typical 40-round event down to just five in 2020. Former catcher Dillon Dingler was the lone Buckeye drafted, going to the Detroit Tigers with the first selection of the second round.
This year, the draft will expand to 20 rounds. For some Buckeyes, like Burhenn, Ohio State housed their dream of reaching professional baseball, one they may realize in the near future.
“I really liked the coaching staff here. To come in and kind of have the role that I did, I didn’t know that I would do that,” Burhenn said. “But Ohio State and the coaches and the teammates kind of made it comfortable for me. I was able to grow here.”
