Future Stars: Zachary Bird

Zachary Bird can hit. He's an even better pitcher. He has been clocked on the mound consistently in the low 90s.

"The best feeling is definitely striking somebody out on the fastball because they know it's coming. It's just power versus power and they can't do anything about it. I have great breaking stuff, I always throw hard but now if i could strike somebody out with a fastball I would like to do it," Bird said.

This futurestar has moxy with a good balance of humilty.

"If it's a bigger game versuses Madison Central, Northwest Rankin, Iplay with those guys in the metro area growing up. I played with them when I was eleven, twelve so it's a little ego in there. I might give them a look if I strike them out, but overall I like to be a healthy competitor cause baseball is a humbling sport and you might strike a guy out at this at bat and he'll hit a ball 500 feet off you next at bat so you got to live in the moment but don't get too much in your head," Bird said.

A lot can change between now and Noverber, thats the earliest high school seniors can sign college baseball scholarshcips but for now, Murrah's rising star will be taking his skills to Southern Miss after recently giving the Golden Eagles a verbal commitment.

"When it comes down to it, I felt more comfortable at Southern Miss. The other schools I felt like they just wasn't as much as a home as Southern Miss would be. My father went to Soutehrn Miss, my brother went to Southern Miss. I know a lot of students and people on the baseball team already who go to Southern Miss so it would be like a second home," Bird said.

Southern Miss is a family tradition, but at first it wasn't a lock for the younger Bird to choose the USM program.

"I kinda actually wanted to do the opposite. I kinda wanted to spread out, but I guess it was meant to happen," Bird said.

But the thought of playing for Southern Miss Head Coach Scott Berry plays a factor.

"I would like to play for him because if you ask even other college coaches around the area they all have a lot of respect for Berry and they always say he's one of the greatest guys, not just baseball minds, but one of the greatest guys around," Bird said.

There is no doubt Bird is talented. He has all the physical tools professional scouts look for. He is six foot four, has large hands and apparently has quite a pitching arsenal to choose from.

"I got a four seam fastball, two seam fastball, curve ball, slider, vulcan changeup, sinker, and straight change and three finger fastball," Bird said.

If he stays on pace, Bird could be the first JPS player to be drafted in ten years but he doesn't feel any pressure.

"I don't play baseball to prove anything to nobody, I just play. I work hard at it because it's a fun game and i've been playing since I was three or four. I love it. If i get drafted next year and it would be a better opportunity for me to go pro instead of college, I'll do that but I'm not trying to prove anything or trying to set any records. I just want to look out for myself and play the game I love," Bird said.

Bird hopes more jackson public school players will get drafted in the coming years but admits it's difficult for high school baseball players at a Jackson Public School to do well because of the lack of facilities.

"If every school had a field adjacent to them on their campus, you'll see a lot more success within the Jackson area. You cant play if you dont have a field," Bird said.

Bird says help is on the way and one particular program made a difference for him.

"I can attest that to Brian Emory and Mississippi RBI, he does a good job of organizing summer leagues and getting practice out for kids in the Jackson area even when they're seventh and eighth grade. Even when they're in the fifth and sixth grade, young kids getting interested, or keeping them interested in baseball," Bird said.

Bird can't get enough of the game of baseball.

"I play close to a hundred games a year between high school, fall ball and summer ball and I wish I could play twice as much. If my arm would hold up I'd throw every game, everytime I play for them but I got to take care of myself," Bird said.