White Called 'Best Eighth Grader I Have Ever Seen'

Thomas White LHP / OF / Phillips Academy, Andover, MA / 2023

ANDOVER, Ma. - “He is the best eighth grader I have ever seen.”

The words of Dennis Healy, PBR New England Director of Scouting, sums up the view of Thomas White in a strong way.

“He shows a very advanced arm and feel on the mound for someone at such a young age,” Healy said of the 2023 left-handed pitcher, who is also a standout in the outfield. “The projection is through the roof on the mound.”

Depending on the gun, the 6-3 182-pounder has been clocked as high as 87 to 89 with his fast ball.

“Growing, working out and getting stronger,” White said as to how he has advanced from a 79 fastball just a year ago. “I was maybe 5-11 or 6-0 and 160-165 back then.”

It was at age nine when White began turning heads.

“I started throwing harder than everybody in 9-10U,” White reflected. “The speed just came naturally.”

A year later, Rusty Tucker was brought on as his pitching coach.

“He’s refined my mechanics and made it all come together,” White said of Tucker, who remains his pitching coach today. “At first I didn’t even know how to pitch out of the stretch, so a lot of the credit goes to him.

“I’ve got my accuracy down and the arm slot is a big part. I always had a hard time controlling my arm action. The plant foot is also a big part of it. It was almost completely sideways back then but once I got that together things started going more smoothly.”

Adding to his repertoire was next.

“My curve has gotten a lot better in the last year,” White said of a pitch that is “70ish” as far as the speed. “It’s better than my change now. I have to get the change more consistent and the curve more accurate.”

Playing Legends Baseball with the 14U Prospects, White has not needed the offspeed pitches.

“I haven’t been tested at all this year,” White related. “I rarely have to use the offspeed, I just throw the fastball so I work on the offspeed in the bullpen. I work on the curve and change and I can but don’t often throw a slider, too.”

More improvement is in the future.