Biddle draws a crowd at his baseball games

Original publication date was May 6, 2010

Last year, there were two or three radar gun-wielding scouts and cross-checkers behind the cage when Jesse Biddle was pitching. The number now, with the amateur baseball draft just around the corner, has grown to between 15 and 20.

Don't bother asking the high-rising southpaw from Germantown Friends if he is fazed by the recent hoopla. Last summer, he pitched in front of at least 50 to 60 college coaches and pro scouts at USA Baseball's Tournament of Stars in Cary, N.C.

It comes with the territory when you're a 6-foot-5, 235-pound lefthander equipped with a blazing fastball, recently clocked at an eye-popping 94 m.p.h., an effective 12-to-6 curveball, and an improving slider and change-up.

The buzz, if signability is not an issue, is that Biddle could be selected between Rounds No. 2 and No. 4 of the first-year player draft a month from now.

"He's a 6-5 lefthander," said one scout. "He's got the size everybody is looking for. " And his mechanics, questioned by some? "He's pretty solid," the scout said.

Biddle, who lives in the Mount Airy section, said he has filled out questionnaire sheets for all 30 major-league teams and has had in-home visits from representatives of 25 clubs. The meet-and-greet sessions can last as long as four hours.

"Yeah, it's been a little time-consuming," he said. "It's tough at times, especially when you're trying to do your homework and other things. But I think I'm handling it pretty well. It's an exciting time for me. "

The regulars at games, Biddle said, are the Phillies, Astros, Angels and Yankees. "I think those teams are the most interested in me," he said.

Last spring, Biddle's fastball was timed at 91 m.p.h. He notched a radar-gun reading of 93 last summer. Then, in a Friends Schools League game last month, he hit the 94 mark. "Yeah, I've worked on my velocity," he said.

Against Westtown early last month, the lefty fired a no-hitter, mowing down a career-high 17 batters, in a 1-0 victory. He was a walk and error away from a perfect game.

There is much more to Biddle than just a blazing fastball.

"He's a very genuine and competitive kid who has tremendous poise and maturity for a player his age," the scout said. "When watching him pitch, it's easy to see he's a team player and is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win. "

What does Germantown Friends coach Bob Bergholtz like about the Tigers' ace hurler?

"His character, his work ethic," the skipper said. "He's been a tremendous leader for the GFS program. "

The 18-year-old, who also plays first base and bats third for Germantown Friends, has signed with the University of Oregon. He also visited North Carolina, Arizona State and Oregon State. The attention started in earnest after he pitched for the Nor Cal Travel Ball organization, based in the San Francisco Bay area, during a two-month period in the summer of 2008.

Last August, Biddle pitched in the Summer Rivalry Baseball Classic Invitational at Fenway Park. He represented a Yankees team whose roster included Germantown Academy's Sean Coyle, a middle infielder bound for North Carolina, and Keenan Kish, a 6-3, 190-pound righthander ticketed for Florida.

"That was incredible," said Biddle, who has also pitched at Yankee Stadium and the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. "We got to run on the warning track before the game and touch the Green Monster. "

Also in August, Biddle, whose "bread-and-butter" curveball is clocked in the mid-70-m.p.h range, played for an Los Angeles Angels team in the East Coast Professional Showcase in Lakeland, Fla., and for a New York Yankees team in the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif. He also pitched in six or seven games for the Philadelphia Senators, a team that showcases amateur prospects.

"He's extremely competitive, he's got a loose arm, and he's a smart kid," Senators manager Steve Koplove said. "He's got a huge upside. "

Biddle said he has predraft workouts scheduled with the Phillies, Yankees, Braves and Brewers, and expects Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, along with regional scout Matt Hyde, to be on hand at a game.

"I'm pretty excited about that," he said. "How could you not be? "