Still Learning His Body, Senior Insists Best Pitching Yet to Come

Ex-MLB hurler’s son contributes with height, big arm on deep Scots staff

Over the past two years, Jett Wright had no choice but to transform into a completely different pitcher.

The Highland Park senior has grown 6 inches since he was a sophomore, meaning he now throws from the mound with a longer stride and different angle to home plate, and has to accommodate an altered delivery for his lanky 6-foot-7 frame.

However, Wright has also adjusted his mindset, able to better moderate the highs and lows that come with each appearance — especially in a senior year that has shown promise but lacked consistency.

“I’ve had big learning moments this year in terms of my rough outings but there’s also been some upside,” Wright said. “It’s hard to sync everything up. There’s lots of moving parts. It’s been tough to adjust to my frame.”

A converted infielder, Wright has always had a strong arm. His fastball tops out at nearly 90mph, although he’s been tweaking his mechanics to throw more strikes.

“His ceiling is really high. I trust in him to come out there and do his best,” said HP head coach Travis Yoder. “When you have the size he does, your release point is deceptive. It changes the downward trajectory of the ball.”

His father, Jamey, is 6-foot-6 and pitched for 10 different teams during a 19-year career in Major League Baseball, including a two-year stint with the Texas Rangers in 2007-08, just after Jett was born.

“I’ve got the size and bloodlines to do it,” Wright said. “I like hitting, but I enjoy pitching a lot more. I’ve got the greatest role model. I fell in love with it by watching him do it.”

After about 90 percent of the innings on last year’s team were pitched by graduating seniors, Wright has carved out a supporting role this season on a deep HP pitching staff highlighted by Isaac Hutchinson and Ty Moorhead.

Combined with a resurgent lineup at the plate and a proven ability to win close games late, the Scots are in contention for a District 12-5A title and a top seed in the upcoming Class 5A Division I playoffs.

“It’s been a fun season so far. I’m just trying to make the most of it,” Wright said. “I want to be the guy they can rely on in the playoffs.”