Burgoon brings 90 mph fastball, slider to Locos’ closer’s job

LIMA - Tyler Burgoon stared in for the sign.

He told himself this was just another batter. However, the blue script "Mets" across the hitter's jersey indicated otherwise.

This spring at Port St. Lucie, Fla., Michigan's Burgoon - from Defiance and pitching this summer for the Locos - pitched an inning against the New York Mets in an exhibition game.

Burgoon's final line against the Mets: one inning, one hit, no runs, no walks and no strikeouts.

Michigan and the Mets ended up in a nine-inning, 4-4 tie that day.

"That was a great experience. It was fun," Burgoon said. "Not a whole lot of people get that opportunity and when you get a chance to play the Mets, you enjoy it."

Burgoon said most of the Mets' regulars started the game, but by the time he took the mound in the seventh, he doesn't recall whom he faced.

"The guys I faced will probably go up and down this year (between AAA and the majors)," Burgoon said. "They were good enough to be there."

The 5-foot-10 right-handed Burgoon has had a memorable first year in college. He was both the closer and set-up man at Michigan. Now he's the closer for the Lima Locos.

Closing for the Locos is a job he volunteered for shortly after he arrived at camp.

"You really want to find somebody in that role who wants to do it," Locos coach Rob Livchak said. "He's a cool, collective guy and that's what we need in that role. He has a 90 mph fastball with a nice slider that he can throw at will. When he throws both of those pitches over, he's lights out."

So far, Burgoon has been dominate in the Great Lakes Collegiate League.

In six appearances, more than eight innings, he's 1-0 with a 1.12 earned-run average. He has two saves. He also has 12 strikeouts and three walks. He's given up only two hits and opponents are hitting .080 off him.

"I love going in there and closing," Burgoon said. "I think I need that rush to go in and pitch. I'd rather go in and be a reliever or a closer than a starter. Just going in there and shutting the door, there's nothing better."

Burgoon is the latest in the line of standout pitchers from Defiance High School. There was Luke Haggerty (drafted by the Cubs), Chad Billingsley (now with the Dodgers) and Jon Niese (now with AA Binghamton with the Mets).

"A lot of it goes back to our (Defiance) Little League program," Burgoon said. "We have a great funnel system to the high school. Once they got to Defiance and got under coach (Tom) Held, you see a big difference. Once I got to high school, I was throwing 78. Then, after working with him, there was one fall (his junior year), I jumped from 82 to 89.

"You put in that hard work and you're hoping something's going to happen, and it did. My success right now I'd have to attribute to coach Held."

Held said, "Tyler is a self-made player. What stands out to me is his work ethic. Most of the good ones have a great work ethic, but Tyler may have been the best of any I've coached. I don't think he took one day off from August of his senior year to when he graduated in May. And he had already committed to Michigan and had nothing to prove."

Burgoon was a starting pitcher and catcher in high school. While he consistently threw 90 mph., he wasn't drafted.

"I don't think I passed the ‘look test.' I'm about 5-9 1/2," he said with a laugh.

He said Michigan recruited him to pitch and possibly catch.

"I started off my freshman year and I was going to catch," Burgoon said. "Then, after a while, I started getting into the pitching and I stuck with that and didn't catch anymore."

As the co-closer and set-up man, Burgoon went 2-0 with a 4.86 ERA with five saves. He struck out 29 in 37 innings. He helped Michigan to a 46-14 record and Big Ten championship (26-5 Big Ten).

"I was sitting at 88 to 91 (mph) at Michigan and I'd pop up to 92, 93 every once in a while," he said. "It feels like my arm's flying right now. It feels pretty good."

Almost as good as when he retired the hitters with "Mets" across the heart of their jersey.