Right-hander J.D. Underwood was selected by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of Palm Beach Community College in Lake Worth, Florida. He was born in Coral Springs, Florida and attended school at Palm Beach Gardens High School before starting his collegiate career.

Underwood, son of former major league pitcher Tom Underwood and the nephew of Pat Underwood, also a former major league pitcher, led Palm Beach State to its first state title since 1984 and the first junior college world series appearance in program history.

During the regular season, he went 8-2 with a 1.66 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 92.1 innings. He walked just 12 batters. A left-handed hitter, he hit .367 with three homers and a team-high 47 RBI.

“He’s probably the best hitter in the state,” Palm Beach State coach Kyle Forbes said. “He has three big-league pitches, right now. He’s such a complete player. We’re lucky to have him.”

A 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander with what is considered a big-league-quality curveball and a low-90s fastball, he threw a complete game on three days rest to lift the Panthers to the state title and then went the distance again in a national semifinal. He finished with eight complete games in his final nine starts.

Underwood made his pro debut with the AZL Dodgers on June 28, 2013 , throwing 3 scoreless innings against the AZL Royals. Regardless of how well their college season has gone it is difficult for young pitchers to pick up, leave home following a draft, and continue on at a higher level in the same season. Underwood found that to be the case in his first professional season. Between the AZL Dodgers and Ogden Raptors he combined for a 9.41 ERA.

J.D. Underwood (left) with Raptors catcher John Cannon in 2014.
(Photo credit – Stephen Smith)

In his second season with the Raptors he experienced some more growing pains while pitching 56 innings over 13 starts. His ERA was 6.75 while his WHIP was 1.73 along with 49 strikeouts and 29 walks.

Underwood’s 2015 season with the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League was the type of season that most likely was expected of him when he was drafted as a 20-year old. He pitched exclusively in relief making 37 appearances and pitching 75.1 innings. In 24 of those appearances he pitched two or more innings while posting a 2.63 ERA and a WHIP of 1.022 along with 71 strikeouts,15 walks and five saves. He was selected to the participate in the Midwest League All-Star game in June along with teammates pitcher grant Holmes and infielder Michael Ahmed.

Although the father was a left-hander and the son a righty the younger Underwood credits his father with teaching him everything he knows about pitching. Tom coached his son in baseball up to middle school.

The greatest challenge for J.D. Underwood has not been the challenge of climbing the baseball ladder. It has been watching his father lose his battle with cancer and making the climb without him.

He was a sophomore at Gardens High School when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May, 2009. By his senior year, his father was losing his fight. Tom Underwood, who became Vice President of Wachovia Securities, worked from home the day before he died, on Nov. 23, 2010. He was 56.

J.D. Underwood has continued on his baseball journey after the loss of his father but he is not alone. Despite the difficulty of navigating the system he is still able to call his uncle for his advice and guidance.

“Having that knowledge, especially now, still having my uncle around I get to call him all the time,” said JD. “He still calls, and he used to come out and see me play. He’s been through [the system], and it’s not easy. It’s still fun but not all peachy until you get up to the majors. It’s a grind. There are plenty of benefits to having him around.”

Even more importantly Underwood feels the influence of his father everyday.

“I feel like he’s watching down on me,” he said. “When he passed, a light bulb kind of clicked — I can feel sorry for myself, or I can do something about it. I felt I had to work harder. That’s all I could do.”

As a number of young players do who have lost someone close to them he scratches his father’s initials in the dirt. J.D. Underwood has gone one step further to keep his father’s memory alive and in fact his father close to him.

On his left side he has a tattoo in honor and memory of Tom Underwood. His father’s favorite phrase was Winners always win without their best stuff. It was a message given by a father to his son to live by. The words in that phrase circle a baseball that has TGU printed on the ball – Thomas Gerald Underwood. His father’s birth date and the date of his death are printed below the ball.

J.D. Underwood has his father’s famous words tattooed on his left side.
(Photo credit – Allen Eyestone)

In an interview with Hugh Bernreuter at mlive.com he reiterated the strength he has drawn from his father’s continuous optimism.

“My dad would always tell me that,” J.D. Underwood said. “There were some days when I didn’t pitch well, but I won. He would always remind me that winners always win without their best stuff. … It’s something that’s always with me. Those are his words. He pretty much lived them, too. He was a winner, even when he didn’t have his best stuff.”