J.C. Flowers gains needed pitching experience

Photo Credit: Ryan Palencer

J.C. Flowers is an athlete.

He joined several other notable athletes as an All-American at Florida State.

However, Flowers was unique in that he was an All-American as both a pitcher and hitter…in the same season. In the same 2019 season, Flowers was listed on both the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Conference teams separately. He made the First Team as a relief pitcher, and the Third Team as a centerfielder.

Again, J.C. Flowers is an athlete.

What’s more astounding is that Flowers just made his return to pitching in that same 2019 season. Prior to that, he was focusing just on his skills with the stick and glove.

Now, just four years later, Flowers is trying to blow fastballs by hitters with a similar athletic skillset at the Triple-A level. 

“It’s definitely an interesting journey,” Flowers said. “Going from an every day position player, to being a pitcher only was definitely an adjustment.”

While the season has not gone exactly as the young right-hander would hope by the numbers, Flowers has certainly been aggressively pushed by the Pirates in his journey back to pitching.

He has also gotten an opportunity to feel out different roles on the staff. Flowers got the chance to start three games. He has also finished a game and has five holds. 

However, the most notable experience that Flowers has enjoyed during the ‘23 campaign is the information he’s been able to glean from other more experienced arms.

“I think the main thing is just trying to learn the mental side of pitching,“ Flowers said. “Being around all these great pitchers, and just trying to get a little nuggets from them, has made my journey a lot simpler for sure.”

In pointing back to his return to pitching in 2019, Flowers compares it well to his adjustment to Triple-A. He admitted that he did not feel nervous, but took the attitude of learning as he goes and improving every day with experience.

Additionally, Flowers thinks that maintaining a hitters mentality in his approach to the game is an advantage. He also said he’s willing, while watching the game, to share anything that he sees from the hitters, based on that knowledge as well.

Though he still keeps that mentality, Flowers is pleased with the direction his career has taken as single focus a pitcher. 

“Now seeing the jump from D-1 to the professional level, I’m glad to be on the mound than in the box, for sure,” Flowers said.