Flame-throwing righthander Cole Schoenwetter has been waiting in the wings at San Marcos High School for the past three years, and he’s projected to step into the ace role with the Royals this upcoming spring for his senior season.
To prepare for this jump, the UC Santa Barbara commit has been traveling the country pitching in showcases and tournaments for Major League Baseball scouts.
Operating as the No. 2 arm behind former teammate and now TCU pitcher Chase Hoover in 2022, Schoenwetter boasted a 3.23 ERA in 13 appearances in his junior season with San Marcos.
Along with this impressive ERA, he struck out a whopping 71 batters in 39 innings pitched, while holding opponents to a .157 batting average.
His baseball journey this summer has taken him across the nation, from the USA Baseball National Training Complex in North Carolina to Kauffman Stadium, the home field for the Kansas City Royals.
“Pitching across the country is just fun,” Schoenwetter said. “Getting to travel and play against the best players in the country helps me learn, improve my game and shows me what I need to do to become a better overall player and person.”
This summer, Schoenwetter has played for the Trosky National team while also being selected to the Perfect Game Showcase and the Area Code Brewers and being given the opportunity to pitch in the Baseball Factory All-American Game. Schoenwetter says that playing for multiple teams has been a great experience.
“It’s always fun to play with my friends on Trosky and also meet new people when I play on new teams,” Schoenwetter said. “All the different coaches I’ve had this summer have helped me improve my game.”
According to Schoenwetter, many of these coaches are former MLB and college players who have been able to pass on their knowledge and experience with the game.
With these teams, Schoenwetter says he is working on a number of aspects of his game to be ready to go come high school season in the spring.
“My goal this summer has just simply been to prove myself,” Schoenwetter said. “Along with other things, I’ve been working on throwing strikes, and my command overall this summer.”
Along with his command, the righthander is fine-tuning the ability to turn to any pitch in any situation on the mound.
“I know I can throw hard. It’s about trying to be able to throw whatever pitch I want in any possible count,” Schoenwetter said.
Going into his senior year as a San Marcos Royal, Schoenwetter is gaining traction as a Major League Baseball prospect for the 2023 draft.
In fact, Tom Myers, area scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers and owner of the Santa Barbara Grizzlies, believes that Schoenwetter has “established himself as one of the top right-handed pitchers for the 2023 MLB Draft.”
“[Schoenwetter] is barnstorming the biggest amateur showcases in the country,” Myers said. “He has made huge strides and is performing at a level nobody in Santa Barbara has put together since Kevin Gowdy in 2016.”
Gowdy, the former Santa Barbara High standout, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies at the No. 42 pick in the 2016 draft.
Schoenwetter sees this exposure to the big leagues as an exciting endeavor.
“It’s always fun being able to show off my skills in front of major league scouts,” Schoenwetter said.
With the potential for his name being called in the 2023 MLB Draft, Schoenwetter will look to lead the Royals to their third straight Channel League championship with the improvements he has made throughout this summer playing with and against the nation’s best.