Wheeler ‘making strides’ in first season with Dash

Andre Wheeler has emerged as key component coming out of the Dash bullpen.

Andre Wheeler’s baseball metamorphosis has had its twists and turns along the way.

Originally, the Winston-Salem Dash lefty relief pitcher was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an outfielder from Austin, Tex. He didn’t sign. Instead, he went to Texas Tech University and was an everyday player as a freshman. Still, the thought that he’d end up pitching was always in the back of his mind.

The make-up of the Texas Tech team played a role in the eventual position switch. The Red Raiders recruited a lot of junior college players, who were older and more seasoned than the team’s underclassmen. Even so, they still needed pitching depth. Wheeler pitched four games as a freshman. The following year, primarily because of team needs, he became a full-time reliever.

“When I first switched it was tough,” said the 23-year-old Wheeler. “In high school, I pitched a little, but really didn’t know what I was doing. There’s a lot more to it than just going out there and throwing the ball. You have to have a plan and you must learn how to pitch. Right now, I’m not where I want to be, but I am making strides.”

Over the course of this season, Wheeler (4-2, 3.40 ERA in 47.2 innings pitched) has produced in a variety of roles. Wheeler has started four games and he’s worked middle relief duty. On several occasions, he’s turned in superlative stints as a closer. Being willing and prepared to handle all assignments that have come his way hasn’t been an issue.

“I’ve learned that no matter what the situation is, you’ve got to attack those hitters,” said Wheeler, who signed with the Chicago White Sox as a 15^th round draft pick in 2013. “It doesn’t matter if you’re starting or coming out of the (bull) pen. In both cases, it all comes down to coming in and throwing strikes right away.”

Wheeler has 49 strikeouts and 23 walks this season.

While Wheeler acknowledges that he’s far from being a polished product, he’s shown signs of emerging as a dominant presence on the bump. Fans got the opportunity to see Wheeler on top his game in Winston-Salem’s come-from-behind 2-1 home victory over Myrtle Beach on June 29.

Entering the game in the bottom of the eighth with the score tied 1-1, Wheeler delivered two shut-out innings. In the process, he allowed zero hits and had three strikeouts to earn his third victory of the season. His mix of pitches kept Pelicans’ batters guessing. Wheeler’s lively fast ball, sneaky slider and vastly-improved change-up, was more than the visiting team could handle.

“I was able to throw all three pitches for strikes and I attacked the hitters,” he explained. “When I’m hitting both sides of the plate with my fast ball, that’s when I’m at my best. And it really helps when I can locate my slider late in the count. The change-up is coming along. I didn’t throw it too much last year. Without the change-up, I don’t think I would’ve had as much as success as I’ve had this season.”

Consistency and repetition are keys in grooming pitchers. There are numerous elements which are involved in developing proper throwing mechanics. That’s the physical aspect of the game that presents its share of challenges. But there’s also the mental aspect that can’t be overlooked. For Wheeler, maintaining the right frame of mind is just as important as mastering technique.

“At the pro level, the mental part of the game is the biggest challenge to overcome,” he said. “When you have a bad outing, you can easily get down on yourself and not have confidence. But you also know that you’ll be back out there two or three days later. You have to be ready to bounce back and perform right away.”