Left-hander Garrett Harrison has been assigned to the Great Lakes Loons of the Class-A Midwest League to begin the 2016 season. The former St. Cloud State Husky was not selected in the 2015 First Year Player Draft last June but was signed as a free agent by the Dodgers on August 1.

Born in Arlington Heights, Illinois the 22-year old Harrison had a three-year career with the Huskies in which he went 12-1 while recording 120 strikeouts and had an ERA of 2.44. In 2015 he was an All-NSIC Second Team selection going 9-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 77 strikeouts.

His head coach at St.Cloud State was naturally very pleased when he was signed by the Dodgers although his signing has become a routine of sorts for coach Pat Dolan. Harrison is the 34th player in Dolan’s career as a college baseball coach to sign a professional contract.

“This is great news for Garrett,” SCSU head coach Pat Dolan said. “He has really put in a lot of hard work during his college career and has developed into an outstanding pitcher. We will certainly miss him but Garrett is very deserving of this type of honor and recognition. The Huskies wish him the best of luck as he begins his professional baseball career.”

Garrett Harrison
(Image courtesy of schushies.com)

Following his college seasons the 6’3” – 200 lb Harrison pitched for the Green Bay Bullfrogs from 2013-15. The Bullfrogs are in the South Division of the Northwoods League which is a collegiate summer baseball league drawing many of the top college players from all over North America.. He was the starting pitcher for the South Division in the 2015 Northwoods League All-Star Game.

As a Bullfrog in 2015 Harrison was 4-2 with an ERA of 1.52 not having allowed more than three earned runs in any of his eight starts when he was signed by the Dodgers. His All-Star selection in the Northwoods League attracted some attention from MLB scouts.

“After I pitched at the all-star game I had known there were a few teams that wanted to see me the next time I pitched,” said Harrison. “The scout who signed me talked to me for a while during a game, just kind of picking my brain seeing who I was, how much I had grown this year. And he extended me an offer.”

Harrison was scheduled to be the starting pitcher in the Big League Dreams Showcase on August 4 in Madison. It is safe to say his dreams were most likely answered when the Dodgers signed him to a professional contract three days before the Showcase.

Improving each season in the collegiate league, Harrison felt he had strengthened his arsenal enough to begin to impress major league clubs.

“I think just having overall command of the slider and the changeup,” said Harrison of the most important part of his growth this season [2015]. “Being able to throw off speed pitches for strikes in any count as well as my fastball, I think it definitely helped me to keep hitters off balance.”

Harrison reported to the Dodgers Arizona complex in Glendale following his signing, working with the training and coaching staff to begin his acclimatization to the regime of professional baseball. He did not make any appearances with the the Arizona League Dodgers but did have some homework assigned for the fall.

“They have some flexibility stuff they want me to work on,” said Harrison of his plan for the fall. “Just being around the [Arizona League] team, for them just to be able to monitor me.”

His plans for the fall also included completing some unfinished business at St Cloud State University.

His off-season plans led him into his plans for the 2016 baseball season: “I’m just hoping I can go to spring training, be in good shape, be stronger than I’ve been before,” said Harrison. “And then wherever I get placed just pitch well and try to move up.”

The first step of his professional baseball odyssey has already begun with his assignment to the Great Lakes Loons, who kick off their 2016 season with an away game on Thursday, April 7 with the Lugnuts in Lansing.