Sophomore pitcher has control of his destiny

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Max Munroe knew he wasn't going to throw a baseball like Nolan Ryan.

Munroe, an Out-of-Door Academy sophomore, throws an 83 miles per hour fastball, so he had to find another pitcher to emulate.

He chose former Atlanta Braves star Greg Maddux.

“Maddux was able to paint the corners,” said Munroe, a right-hander. “That’s my style of pitching, too. I’m not a flame thrower.” 

His control and his ability to win with finesse have helped the 6-foot-1, 164-pounder earn special recognition. Earlier this month, the right-hander was one of 10 pitchers, and the only pitcher from Florida, named to the inaugural 15-and-under Perfect Game Tournament All-American team. 

Twenty-five of the nation's top 15U players were selected based on their high school performances in 2015. Those players combined to earn seven MVP or MV-Pitcher awards and 102 all-tournament mentions.

Perfect Game is the largest amateur baseball scouting service in the world, hosting more than 100 showcases and tournaments every year.

Munroe, who also plays for the traveling Florida Burn, didn’t even know he had been selected until Burn teammate Matt Levenson sent him a picture of the announcement.

During the Burn's 2015 travel season, Munroe appeared in four games, posting a 2-0 mark. He allowed 11 hits, five walks and no runs while striking out 23 batters in 22 innings. 

“I was thrilled,” Munroe said of his Perfect Game honor. “At first, I just kept looking at the picture trying to figure out what it meant. It shows that all of my hard work paid off, all of the early morning workouts and staying late at the field. It’s a really nice reward.” 

After spending the offseason playing for the Burn, a team that showcases high school players who would like to earn scholarships or perhaps get a shot at professional baseball, Munroe returned to the mound Jan. 28 to begin preparing for his sophomore season with the Thunder. 

In addition to improving his breaking ball and curve, Munroe wants to increase his overall performance by working in the weight room to strengthen his core, back and legs. 

Out-of-Door Academy strength and conditioning coach Rodrick Miller plans to take a conservative approach with Munroe,. “He is focused and knows what he wants,” Miller said. “He went from being skeptical about training to understanding that it is important. If he sticks to the plan and stays consistent, like previous players, then he will do well.” 

Since joining ODA’s baseball program as an eighth-grader, Munroe has spent countless hours perfecting his changeup, his signature pitch, and his two seam fastball. 

As a pitcher, Munroe loves to be in control. 

“I think his greatest quality is he doesn’t get rattled on the mound,” ODA coach Tim Orlosky said. “He’s always been very cool and collected. I think a lot of kids would have a hard time with that at such a young age, but he went out and did his job,

"He does so much well, and he’s just getting bigger and stronger."

Last season, Munroe posted a 1.14 ERA, the lowest on the team, allowing four earned runs, 19 hits and nine walks while striking out 20 in 24 2/3 innings. Munroe went 1-1 in 13 games with three holds and three saves while helping lead ODA to a 20-4-1 record and a Class 3A-District 10 championship. 

Primarily used as a reliever last season, Munroe will switch to the starting rotation. 

“He’s definitely an above average pitcher,” Orlosky said. “He doesn’t throw as hard and sometimes people measure the value of a pitcher by velocity, but that’s not the case all the time. Max gets a lot of people out. That kid wins.”