Projected first-round pick Andrew Dutkanych ready to make MLB dream reality
INDIANAPOLIS (BVM) 鈥� Whether looking at high school or college players, 18-year-old pitcher Andrew Dutkanych is among the top prospects of this year鈥檚 MLB Draft.
Despite being just a senior in high school at Brebeuf Jesuit, Dutkanych is ranked as the 22nd best prospect available in July鈥檚 draft , and is seen as one of the best pitchers in this year鈥檚 class.
With a dominant slider, strong fastball that reaches the mid-90s, and a solid curveball and changeup, Dutkanych appears to have all the tools to make his MLB dream come true sooner than later.
鈥淚t is pretty surreal,鈥� Dutkanych said about the likelihood of being an early draft pick this summer. 鈥淲hen I was younger and all those rankings were coming out, I was never ranked very high. And then now I see mock drafts coming out and it鈥檚 just like, 鈥榃ow, that鈥檚 pretty crazy.鈥�
鈥淚 definitely am grateful. Ever since I was a really little kid, I wanted to play pro. I had all these little goals and these things I wanted to do. It鈥檚 just really cool that I鈥檝e stayed the course. I wouldn鈥檛 say there鈥檚 any pressure because it鈥檚 just, since I was 7 years old, kind of what I always expected for my life.鈥�
Growing up, Dutkanych played baseball with his dad and has fond memories of watching New York Yankees games with him, part of what led to his pro aspirations. He idolized Derek Jeter, both on and off the field, as well as former Yankees鈥� pitcher CC Sabathia.
While his talent was always evident, Dutkanych was a bit of a late-comer to the travel baseball circuit, playing for his dad鈥檚 local little league team until he was 12 years old. From there, he tried out for the Indiana Bulls.
鈥淚 tried out for the Bulls, just for fun, just because I wanted to see all of the best players in the state, I thought it鈥檇 be cool,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淭hen I ended up making the A-team and I was just blown away. I was like, 鈥楢re you serious?鈥� I thought it was a joke. They had some radar gun when I was pitching and I didn鈥檛 realize how hard I threw. I didn鈥檛 even think I鈥檇 make that team but I ended up being one of the best pitchers on that team.鈥�
By age 14, Dutkanych began getting attention from colleges as things continued to click thanks to the development and coaching he received through the Bulls.
鈥淒efinitely in those earlier years, they were very, very helpful,鈥� Dutkanych added.
Through his high school years, Dutkanych has only gotten better. Last summer, he wowed pro scouts with strong performances time and again, including at the Perfect Game National Showcase, Perfect Game All-American Classic and East Coast Pro Showcase.聽
Perhaps his most rewarding experience came at the end of the year, where Dutkanych got to join forces with some of the competition he faced in those events with USA Baseball.
鈥淭eam USA was great,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淔rom the beginning of the summer to the end of summer, there are all these huge events with all of the best players in the country 鈥� You鈥檙e playing against each other. But for USA, we were all a team now, so instead of just facing the best players in the country, now all the best players in the country are on the same team and are playing against a different country. We got USA across our chest and it was just really cool for us to kind of all come together after being around each other and going at each other for so long.鈥�
While he has had glaring success on the national stage, Dutkanych has never left his roots. He has continued to play high school baseball at Brebeuf Jesuit, and has predictably shined there as well. The 6-foot-3 pitcher made a seamless transition to high school ball as a freshman, but had to change some things up when his sophomore season was canceled due to the pandemic.
鈥淪ophomore year, it was very hard because I had worked so hard in the offseason,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淚 had a lot of progress going on and I was really excited to get out there. We moved into the locker room, got our jerseys, and then the very next day school was canceled.鈥澛�
Taking a few weeks off while everything was shut down, Dutkanych finally began working out again with Indiana native and Western Carolina baseball player Daylan Nanny, keeping both sharp despite not being able to play. Eventually, the travel season got going again, as Dutkanych had another impressive fall season with Team Indiana.
By the time last spring rolled around, Dutkanych was ready to get back on the mound at Brebeuf Jesuit. Playing for the seniors who missed out on their final season the year before, the pitcher was dominant yet again.
鈥淚 was just ready to see how well I could play,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淚 actually had a little bit of a struggle at the beginning of the season, but then I had a stretch for maybe about a month-and-a-half where I didn鈥檛 give up an earned run, I was really cruising. I had a really good season overall.鈥�
Through two high school seasons, Dutkanych has compiled over 200 strikeouts to just 35 walks with a 1.29 ERA. He has had many eye-popping performances such as an 18-strikeout no-hitter to win the Marion County tournament championship last season.
Coming off his tremendous summer and fall to finish 2021, Dutkanych is set for another strong spring season with the Braves this year, and hopes to leave an impact on the program that goes beyond the game.
鈥淚 felt like I got a lot better during the summer last year and I learned a lot of things about myself,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淏ecause of the offseason I just had, I鈥檓 expecting to have a really good year this year. By the time it鈥檚 all said and done, I don鈥檛 really care what people think of me as a player because the stats will probably speak for themselves. But I just want, especially people in the community, to just remember me being a good teammate, helping people out and leading, and just being a good dude overall.鈥�
Off the field at Brebeuf Jesuit, Dutkanych has been just as successful, earning a weighted GPA of 4.65 last year. He thanks his own competitiveness and the competition among his friends to get good grades for his success, and will hope to keep it going if he does attend college.
If he does end up becoming a student-athlete at the next level, it will come with a prestigious college baseball program at Vanderbilt. Dutkanych received plenty of offers early in the recruiting process, eventually narrowing down a few dozen offers to six. He took his time and thoroughly explored each of his options, and eventually got it down to Vanderbilt, Duke and Stanford. But ultimately, it came down to the Commodores.
鈥淎fter I saw the campuses and had been talking to the coaches for a long time, I was able to make a decision,鈥� Dutkanych noted. 鈥淲hat was important to me was, I wanted to play in a good conference and I wanted to go to a good academic school.鈥�
For Dutkanych鈥檚 potential time at Vanderbilt, he is committed to doing whatever it takes to continue the success of the program.
鈥淢y goal if I go to Vanderbilt is really just to make as big of an impact as I can right away,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淚n the offseason, I鈥檓 going to try and utilize all the resources that they鈥檒l have available there and try to get as good as I can. And hopefully, I can be a big part of the team and a big part of a tournament run 鈥� I just want to win.鈥�
However, before that happens, Dutkanych is set to hear his name called on draft day. An over decade-long dream is sure to come true this summer, and the high school senior knows it will be a special time.
鈥淚鈥檓 probably going to cry,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檒l definitely be cool 鈥� All the stuff right now doesn鈥檛 really seem real, but I think in that moment, it鈥檚 really going to hit me. I think my family will be really proud and really happy, it should be a pretty special moment.鈥�
Then will come the decision of whether to go to Vanderbilt or straight to the MLB. Dutkanych isn鈥檛 focused on anything but his senior year at Brebeuf Jesuit for now, but is prepared to make the best choice for his future when the time comes.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know which one I want to do but I鈥檓 just focused on having the best season possible,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my senior year with my friends, my last go with my friends and my teammates, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 most important to me. As it gets closer and closer, I鈥檒l have to think about it more. I think the factors will mostly just be on what do I want to do with my life these next few years. I really have no idea right now but I think the decision will be pretty obvious within a few weeks of that or so.鈥�
Whether he goes to college first or pursues a pro career right away, it is clear Dutkanych seems to have what it takes to pitch in the MLB. Continually getting better, Dutkanych will use his same work ethic as he works his way up to the big leagues, hopefully leading to a successful pro career.
鈥淚 think I have a unique skill set to start a game and finish a game and work through lineups multiple times,鈥� Dutkanych said. 鈥淚 think wherever I am in the future, that team is going to have somebody who works really hard, somebody who鈥檚 going to figure out how to win, and I think I鈥檒l bring a good chance of winning along with me. Hopefully I can play in the big leagues for a long time and make that my career.鈥�
