Cooper
Hjerpe

This year's draft version of Reid Detmers, you can make a strong case that Hjerpe will be the quickest 2022 draftee to the Major Leagues. He was college baseball's best pitcher in 2022 and is a Golden Spikes Award finalist after posting a record of 11-2 with a 2.31 ERA. The southpaw racked up 161 strikeouts against 23 walks in 103.1 innings pitched. His strikeout rate of better than 14 strikeouts per nine innings pitch comes via an explosive, high-spin fastball (90-93 mph) that plays up from his low slot, a plus slider and a deceptive 78-80 changeup that he featured in the Super Regionals against Auburn. The improvement of his slider which spins in the 2600s has played a huge role in elevating Hjerpe's draft stock into a bona fide first rounder. He does throw well across his body, something seldom seen in the Major Leagues with starting pitchers, but it adds deception to his MO and he's able to pound the zone with consistent strikes.

You can make a strong case that Hjerpe has been college baseball's best pitcher in 2022. Nothing has derailed the Hjerpe express this spring — and neither two rain delays nor a matchup against Oregon's Pac-12-best offense could slow him down on Friday night. He waited out a one-hour, 15-minute delay before first pitch, and another 18-minute delay during the middle of his outing, but the end result was another dominant performance and another win. The southpaw racked up 11 strikeouts against just one walk and four hits over six innings of one-run ball to lead the Beavers to a 5-1 win in the opener of this big rivalry showdown series. He improved to 9-1, 2.08 with 120 strikeouts (second in the nation) against just 14 walks in 73.2 innings. Oregon State issued credentials to 39 scouts for this game, and they surely walked away impressed with what they saw from Hjerpe, who looked like a bona fide first-rounder. Early in the game, he leaned on his explosive low-90s fastball (which peaked at 93) and deceptive 78-79 mph changeup, but by the middle innings he had his entire repertoire working at peak level. The improvement of his slider which spun in the 2600s has played a huge role in elevating Hjerpe's draft stock and making him a more complete pitcher for the Beavers this spring. On Friday, he repeatedly buckled knees with the pitch, landing it for a called strike time and again versus lefties and righties alike. He threw it with more conviction and tighter spin than I'd seen from him in the past, giving him another legitimate out pitch to go along with his quality changeup and his electric lively heater that plays well above its velocity, from that low Chris Sale-esque slot and extension.