Lakeland High School standout now shines at USF
TAMPA, Fla. - USF sophomore outfielder Drew Brutcher is a home-grown talent. His dad, Len Brutcher, a second-round draft pick in the MLB draft back in 1988, taught him the game, and coached him at Lakeland High School.
Drew is blessed with a great foundation and great height. He’s not yet 20 years old and he stands 6’ 6". Combine that size with an uncanny knowledge of the strike zone, and you have the recipe for success.
"I’ll never forget the first day I threw him BP (batting practice)," recalled USF head coach Billy Mohl. "I threw a ball about that far (indicates with his hand a span of just a few inches) off the plate, and he took it. That’s not normal for freshmen. Normally, freshmen get up and it looks like they’re swatting at mosquitoes. He just had a mature approach, the game comes very easy to him. He sees the game a little bit slower than everyone else. "
That ability to slow the game down has hastened his learning curve. In 119 at bats last season, he hit 8 home runs. He batted nearly .300 on the year despite missing close to two months of the season due to injury. His accomplishments were rewarded with a freshman All-American designation.
Don’t expect Drew to crow about his success He’s soft-spoken and humble. The game of baseball, and hitting in particular, may be the most humbling endeavor in sports. Drew’s approach is humility, not hubris.
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"It just makes me calm down on the field," Drew said. "I know what my strengths and weaknesses are. So it helps me a lot, being humble."
The USF Bulls baseball team is coming off a record-setting year. They won the NCAA regional tournament in Gainesville and went to the team’s first-ever Super Regional. Drew’s contribution helped the team achieve that success, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
"He’s a special talent," explained junior teammate Roberto "Chamo" Pena. "I can’t wait to see what he can do with a full year. He’s special. "
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FOX 13 asked Drew if his background, knowledge and physical prowess give him an inherent advantage over opposing pitchers.
"No, not usually," Drew answers humbly. "I don’t think about that. I just go up there thinking about hitting the ball. And that’s it. That’s what helps me the most. I don’t think a lot up there. "
A humble man succeeding in a humbling game. That is as it should be.
Drew and his Bulls teammates start the 2022 season at home, February 10, against UConn.