Major League Dream : Marina Pitcher Lynch Is Aiming for the Draft First, College Second

Justin Lynch stands atop the mound, flipping a baseball as if it were a dime. The look on his face says it all: Try and beat me.

Not many have.

The right-hander has an 18-3 record in three varsity seasons at Marina High. He also has a long, muscular right arm that helps him throw a baseball between the high-80s and the mid-90s.

He can throw a curveball and changeup too, but most importantly, he can throw them all for strikes.

Lynch, who stands 6 feet 3 and weighs 220 pounds, is off to a 2-0 start this season and is scheduled to start today’s Sunset League opener against Fountain Valley. He finished 10-2 last season and was 6-1 as a sophomore.

“The biggest thing about Justin is his quiet confidence,” Marina Coach Paul Renfrow said. “He doesn’t boast or talk. but has this ability to take command. It’s something he’s had since he was a sophomore.

“His teammates, when they go on the field behind him, play well because he gets everyone else to believe they can win. It’s not ‘I’m unbeatable,’ but ‘I’m giving everything I’ve got and you do it too.’ ”

Baseball means everything to Lynch. So much so, in fact, that despite his 3.2 grade-point average, he’s not even thinking about college but only about the June free-agent draft.

“I’d love to be taken by the Angels,” Lynch said. “They’re my favorite team.”

He has yet to take his SAT. And even if he qualifies for a four-year school, Lynch said he would rather attend a community college and be eligible for the draft again in a year. If he accepts a college scholarship, he would have to wait three years to be eligible again.

“I look at [the SAT and college] more as insurance,” Lynch said. “I know it’s dangerous to put all my hopes on playing pro ball. My parents are always telling me to go to college, have something to fall back on. I’ve thought of what I’d be if I wasn’t a baseball player . . . maybe a police officer.

“But baseball is my dream. I always watched it when I was little. I go to every game I can.”

Last Saturday, he pitched a two-hitter, striking out 14, for a 6-0 victory over Katella in the championship game of the Loara tournament.

While many scouts attend his games, not all are convinced he’s ready for professional ball.

“From what I’ve seen, he should go to college and pitch,” said one scout, who requested anonymity. “Last year he threw better than this year, so far. Even with the good game against Katella, on the speed gun he’s not as [fast] as he was. Last year he had more velocity.

“But high school pitchers are unpredictable; one time they’re real good, the next time not so hot. Not many high school pitchers are excellent every time out. But he would have to improve a lot between now and June to be a high pick.”

Renfrow scoffs at that assessment.

“The most frustrating thing about scouts, and many are my friends, is they only look for three attributes in kids: arm strength, speed and bat power. Those are external to the human being,” Renfrow said. “But they’re not privileged to getting to know the individual and his competitiveness.

“Justin’s not a late bloomer; he’s on time. He developed naturally. And he doesn’t just throw the ball up there, he’s always around the plate. He knows how to pitch.”

Lynch has received much baseball schooling. His father, Rick, played in the Minnesota Twins’ organization and taught his son about pitching. Since age 11, Lynch, now 18, has only wanted to be a pitcher, though he’s also playing first base for Marina this season.

“I feel everything is centered on the pitcher,” Lynch said. “I want that attention. I want the ball. I want everything to ride on me. That’s fun for me. I like the pressure.

“I never felt that way in football [he played quarterback and linebacker for Marina]. Even at quarterback, I never felt you’re in control of the game. But a pitcher always has the ball and makes the decisions.”

Today, Lynch takes aim at visiting Fountain Valley, the two-time defending Southern Section Division I champions. Lynch has yet to defeat the Barons, but they have beaten him only once, a 3-2 decision last season.

In that game, Marina trailed, 1-0, until the fifth, when Fountain Valley scored twice on a couple of errors. The Vikings scored twice in the seventh on bases-loaded walks but got no closer.

Lynch said he hasn’t stopped thinking about that game. And though today’s contest is only the first of three meetings, if Marina is going to take the league title away from Fountain Valley, the Vikings will have to start with today’s game.

“We feel if we can win league, we can do well in [the playoffs],” Lynch said. “As long as I’ve been on the Marina varsity, we haven’t beaten Fountain Valley. They’ve had the good teams that didn’t choke under pressure. We’re trying to get over that hump this year.

“You take one game at a time, but if we can win on Friday, we’re on our way.”