For LSU’s junior right-hander Zack Hess, there has been one consistent theme while in Baton Rouge — evolution.
The journey began with success for the 6-foot-6 flamethrower. During the 2017 season, Hess started six games, but he spent most of the season in the bullpen. It was when the College World Series run began that Hess emerged as the team’s closer, and the baseball world embraced the swagger and energy Hess brought late in the games.
Hess threw in five of seven games in the College World Series. He tallied 11 strikeouts in seven innings. It seemed as though Hess was made for the grandest stage in college baseball with his mid-90 mile per hour fastball and hard-breaking slider. The success showed that Hess carried himself like any great closer — confident.
Hess’ energy after important, late-game outs brought back reminders of former college and Major League closers like LSU’s own Brian Wilson or Mississippi State’s Jonathan Papelbon. Both Wilson and Papelbon went on to win a World Series championship in the MLB.
The energy and swagger Hess brought to the mound earned him the title of “Wild Thing” — the nickname of the Cleveland Indians’ closer Rick Vaughn from the movie “Major League.” Hess’ stats mirrored Vaughn’s success.
Hess finished the season with a 3.12 ERA in 60.2 innings and recorded 83 strikeouts. The regular season combined with a jaw-dropping postseason earned Hess a spot in the starting rotation going into 2018.
When the time came, taking over the new role didn’t go well. In his first start against Notre Dame. Hess allowed eight runs and six walks in 2.1 innings. It didn’t take long for the rumblings about how Hess should return to the bullpen to make its way around Baton Rouge.
Disregarding the negative talk, Hess bounced back with a solid performance in the next outing, striking out 10 against Texas on Feb. 23. It wasn’t long until Hess started a streak of dominance.
Throughout the next two months Hess became one of the premier pitchers in college baseball. From Feb. 23 through May 17, Hess pitched 14 games. He threw 76.2 innings during the stretch and amassed a 3.89 ERA.
Hess hit his stride and put the closer talk away. He evolved into the starting pitcher that many expected and finished the season with 7-6 record, 5.05 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 92.2 innings. Hess became “the guy” for LSU.
Despite the numerous strong outings, Hess could only help his team so much. LSU’s play earned them a trip to Corvallis, Oregon, where Oregon State hosted a regional.
Hess and the Tigers defeated Oregon State in the 2017 College World Series semifinals. LSU needed two wins to advance to the finals. Hess recorded three strikeouts in two, one-inning performances and helped the team advance.
The 2018 series against Oregon State was different as Hess was starting games, not ending them. Hess allowed eight runs in the 3.1 innings during his lone regional performance. The season ended for LSU, and it was decision time for Hess — return to LSU or begin his professional career.
Hess chose to return after being a 34th round pick to the Atlanta Braves. It didn’t take long for the pressure and expectations to mount for the now-junior right-hander. LSU head coach Paul Mainieri had the same expectations backing his pitcher during the Jan. 25 media day.
“I can tell you on Friday nights, it’ll be Zack Hess,” Mainieri said with a confident grin. “And let’s just go ahead and say this right now, right up front, ok. Zack Hess is going to be our Friday-night starter for the entire season. There is no consideration to moving him to the bullpen. He’s our dude.”
That has reigned true through the first 28 games. Hess has seven appearances, all starts. It seemed a little rocky in the beginning of the season with a few difficult outings, but Hess put those to rest with back-to-back quality starts.
Hess said he tries to not to listen to the talk of his return to the bullpen and “take it one step at a time.”
A seven inning, six strikeout performance against Kentucky quieted the critics, but an eight inning, one run and nine strikeout gem against No. 5
Georgia silenced the naysayers. He started to look like the premier pitcher that emerged from late February 2018 to mid-March 2018.
The first seven games of the 2018 season Hess amassed a 5.77 ERA with 45 strikeouts through 31.2 innings. Hess had three starts against top-25 ranked teams through his first seven starts — No. 8 Vanderbilt, No. 14 Texas and No. 24 Missouri.
In 2019, Hess has been better through the first seven games. He has a 4.06 ERA with 39 strikeouts through 37.2 innings. The strikeouts are down from last season, but the ERA and innings have improved. Hess again has three starts against top-25 ranked teams through his first seven starts — No. 2 Mississippi State, No. 5 Georgia and No. 22 Texas.
Hess knows his play has an impact on the rest of the staff and said there isn’t an aspect of college baseball he hasn’t experienced.
“I think it is my responsibility to go out there and help lead this staff,” Hess said.
The evolution of Zack Hess has been a ride unlike many in college baseball. Riding the wave of success and emotion during his freshman season, to the peaks and valleys of a critical sophomore season, he now faces the most pressure yet in his junior — and potentially final — season.
Hess has faced each wave head on and has become Mainieri’s “dude” for his limited days left in Baton Rouge.