Baseball Beginnings

Posted By John Klima on March 20, 2009

Bryan Berglund, Right-handed pitcher (6-4, 190)
Royal High School (Simi Valley, California)
(2009 Draft Class)

The Simi Valley area, just north of Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley, has a long reputation of producing quality major league prospects, especially starting pitchers. Over the years, major league starters, most notably brothers Jeff Weaver and Jered Weaver, have made their marks in the majors. Other future major league pitchers to come through Simi Valley include former Detroit Tigers left-hander Eric King and former relief pitcher Scott Radinsky.

Royal HS right-hander Bryan Berglund

At Royal High in Simi Valley, right-hander Bryan Berglund is poised to continue that tradition. The hard-throwing right-hander, who arrived in Simi Valley from Sweden at age 11, spent his formative amateur years playing year-round in hotly competitive Southern California. He’s near the end of that road, however, and as we zero in on the June 2009 draft, Berglund might just pitch his way into the first round. Baseball Beginnings caught up with Berglund for this exclusive Q&A.

Q:  How does somebody who lived in Sweden until he was 11 years old become a baseball player?
A: I just always wanted to play. When my parents divorced, my Mom said she always wanted to come to California, and there was always good baseball here. Plus, her side of the family was on the East Coast, so I ended up being a Yankee fan.

Q: How important was playing regularly in Southern California to your development?
A: It was definitely a huge factor. I think Southern California is the best place to grow up as a baseball player because you can pretty much play year-round and do it against good competition. It helps to have experience against good players and you see faster what you need to do better.

Q: Who are the best hitters you have faced to this point?
A: The first two guys that come to mind are Matt Davidson (3B, Yucaipa HS) and Jiovanni Mier (SS, Bonita HS). I think the best all-around player I’ve seen is Jake Marisnick (OF, Riverside Poly). I played with him for about a week at the Area Code Games and on a Connie Mack team. I think he’s just an all-around talent. He can hit, hit for power, he’s got a great arm and speed.

Q: All three of those guys are committed to Pac-10 schools (Davidson and Mier to USC and Marisnick to Oregon). Your commitment is to Loyola Marymount. How much thought do you give to playing college baseball versus signing? And how would you describe this home stretch, the final two months before the draft?
A: I’m excited and trying to enjoy it all. I never thought this would be happening a year ago. At this point, I want to pitch as well as I can, take it all in, and try to get drafted as high as possible.

Q: Are you leaning towards signing or playing in college?
A: Either opportunity is good and it’s a tough decision. The best part about signing out of high school would be to go into a situation to play around people with the same goal of going to the major leagues.

Q: How old are you?
A: 18.

Q: Do you ever say to yourself, ‘I want to be in the big leagues by age 21 or 22′ or whatever it may be?
A: I set high goals for myself. I think it would be awesome to be in the big leagues by the time I’m 21. It’s tough and I know that and I don’t discount that. You do what you can but it doesn’t mean you can’t have high goals.

Q: How would you describe yourself as a pitcher?
A: Fastball, slider and change-up. I cut my fastball and it has good movement and location for me. I’ve always felt confident in my slider. The change-up was something I never really trusted until I started using a new grip and starting getting a better feel for it. I like the pitch a lot and I think it might work really well for me as I go.

Q: What kind of adjustment did you make with your change-up?
A: The grip. I moved the ball back toward the horseshoe and a little further back in my hand. I think it will be a weapon. It doesn’t matter how hard you throw a fastball, anyone can catch up, so you need something else.

Q: Are you getting more confident with it?
A: I think it can be a great 0-2 pitch for me to get a rollover ground ball or a swing at a ball in the dirt. I’m learning to command it.

Q: As you talk about throwing three pitches, that definitely sounds like someone who wants to be a starter and not a closer.
A: Starting to me, you control the game. You throw longer and there’s a routine. I have control of that entire game for the innings I’m there. As a closer, you come into the game, and it’s not your game. You had nothing to do with it.

Read Bryan Berglund Scouting report
Watch Bryan Berglund Scouting video
Watch Bryan Berglund vs. Jonathan Meyer
Read Berglund signs with Marlins
Bryan Berglund Drafted by the Florida Marlins
Catching up with Bryan Berglund

Categories: '09 Meet the Player
Tags: Bryan Berglund, Eric King, Jacob Marisnick, Jeff Weaver, Jered Weaver, Jiovanni Mier, Matt Davidson, Scott Radinsky