We continue our "Where Are They Now" series with Kingsmen baseball alum, Jason Hirsh. The right-handed pitcher was drafted in the 2nd round by the Houston Astros in 2003. Hw was an American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-West Region First Team honoree in 2003. He added All-SCIAC Frist Team in 2002 and '03 and was also Second Team in 2001. On the mound, Hirsh was a force. At Calutheran, he is tied for the most wins in a career with 26. He is fifth in innings pitched (258.1), has the third-most complete games (13), and is third in strikeouts (238). For season accomplishments, he is tied for fifth-most wins (10, 2002) and tallied the second-most strikeouts (126, 2003). The Kingsmen won 27-plus games each year and He was a part of the SCIAC Championship team in 2001. Now, Hirsh is a managing partner for FAST Performance.
What year's where you at Cal Lutheran and what made you want to come here?
I was at Cal Lutheran from 2000-04 (Drafted 2003 but completed my degree in 2004). I came to CLU to play baseball for the Kingsmen. As one of the better D3 baseball programs in the country, I saw CLU as an opportunity to continue to play and potentially realize my dreams of being a Major League player.
While at Cal Lutheran, what was your experience like?
I really enjoyed my time at CLU. I only knew one person my freshman year who had also graduated with me at St. Francis, so I got to meet a lot of new faces and make some lifelong friendships and connections with people that I have continued to stay in contact with since graduating.
How was your experience with the team and other athletes?
I played with some incredible players and human beings with the baseball team. Apart from our teams being so successful year in year out, we were also really good friends off the field. From freshman to senior we were all pulling the same end of the rope. We had a ton of fun with each other too. From pregame rituals to late night rallies at the field, no one was immune to shenanigans.
What is your current job, and how did Cal Lutheran prepare you for that?
I started the cleverly named Jason Hirsh Pitching Academy after my career ended in 2009. Since then we have been rebranded as FAST Performance and I am a managing partner. We are a pure development facility, which is a bit of a rarity in today's baseball world. We focus on teaching athletes proper arm care techniques, pitching and hitting mechanics, have velocity development and pitch design programs using some of the latest and greatest in baseball development technology and training methods.
How did being a student-athlete prepare you for your professional career?
Having the opportunity to play at CLU gave the ultimate opportunity to be selected in the 2nd round of the MLB draft becoming the 4th highest D3 draft pick ever. My time at CLU combined with my time in major league baseball gave me the opportunity to run a very successful baseball development academy here in Denver.
What is your favorite part about the job?
My favorite part of my job is being able to be a positive influence on the next generation of ball players and getting to mentor young men who are in search of the same dream I had.
What is a typical day at your job?
A typical day at FAST has me answering emails and doing some admin work in the mornings and then working one on one with high school/college and pro athletes in the afternoons. Additionally we run youth development camps where we focus their attention on having fun and being more athletic in their early pursuit of excellence in the game.
Did you know you always wanted to do this, or when did you know what you wanted to do?
I always wanted to be a professional baseball player. From the time I was old enough to learn how to write, I've always stated that I wanted to be a player in the MLB. Now that I instruct athletes, I consider my job to be just as rewarding and beneficial as it was when I was playing.
What does it mean to be a Kingsmen?
CLU gave me a tremendous opportunity not only athletically, but academically as well. I'm extremely proud of what I was able to accomplish at Cal Lutheran and be able to graduate. I'm extremely thankful to my teachers who understood the position I was in and were willing to work with me so I could come back and graduate. In my current role influencing youth athletes here in Denver, I remind them that Division III schools offer tremendous opportunities for athletes and most hold very strong academic standards to prepare them for life after college.
