As a freshman during the COVID-shortened 2020 high school baseball season, Zane Adams pitched some important innings for his development on the Porter Spartans baseball team.
Spartans head coach Wayne Ralph remembers that Zane Adams. A long lefty arm that had a bright future ahead, but still had a learning curve.
“He’s been a varsity player since his freshman year,” Ralph recalled last week. “Just to see him mature and develop – when he came in, he was throwing like 81-82 as a freshman. I still give him a hard time. His first outing, we were playing a game. I think it was in Jasper. His (second) inning, he gets a homer hit off of him.
“But just to see his work ethic and see him develop over the years, and the amount of work he’s put in…it’s been fun.”
Adams really burst on the scene a year later, picking up plenty of recognition as one to watch as a sophomore. Already committed to the University of Alabama, Adams was the Newcomer of the Year in Montgomery County.
Junior year had the makings of an even bigger leap for Adams before a leg injury on a slide to third base canceled the rest of his season.
Despite limitations with his leg for several months, Adams worked on what he could to improve himself ahead of his senior year.
This past spring, a healthy Adams returned to the mound and the Spartans won their first-ever district title since the doors swung open at Porter in 2010.
Porter has produced some very talented baseball players the past 13 years. But Adams carries the Spartan flag into this week’s MLB draft as the No. 73-rated prospect.
The annual draft started Sunday evening with the first two rounds and continues Monday and Tuesday.
“It’s a cool feeling for sure,” Adams said when asked about possibly becoming the highest draft pick to come out of Porter. “Especially just being one of the only ones to do it. Coming out of the area and maybe it’ll be a start up for Porter. My goal is to hopefully inspire other kids in the area.”
Over the years, Ralph has observed a selfless teammate who has been all about Porter baseball and not about the draft excitement that surrounds him.
“To him, it’s all about playing with his teammates,” Ralph said. “He grew up with all these kids. He didn’t set himself apart when he was getting all this attention. He’s always been a kid that remembers where he came from. He will always remember this is who I am. I’m from Porter, that’s my school, and these are my teammates. You couldn’t ask for a better example for your baseball program.”
Adams was the District 16-5A Most Valuable Player this spring, a Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State selection in Class 5A and was named the Montgomery County Co-Pitcher of the year this past Saturday.
He went 9-0 in 64 ⅓ innings pitched with a 0.65 ERA and 142 strikeouts to just 19 walks. Adams was also an effective offensive weapon for the 22-11-1 Spartans with a .365 batting average and 15 RBIs.
“I definitely looked forward to it,” Adams said of his senior year. “After what happened junior year, that’s all I was really thinking about. Everyone was asking me how I’m dealing with the scouts and worrying about the draft and stuff…I wasn’t really worried about it. I was just worried about enjoying my last year with my team. I was happy with that and it was a fun year.”
Adams’ arsenal this past season featured a fastball that could reach the mid-90s as well as a bending curveball and changeup to keep batters off balance.
“I’m excited,” Adams said of the draft. “It’s starting to become more real as it gets closer. During the season, I just tried not to think about it. Now it’s here and I have to think about it. It’s a lot.”
After Porter was eliminated in the bi-district round of the Region II-5A tournament, Adams has continued working and preparing for the draft.
“I’ve been working out every day and throwing,” Adams said. “I’ve had a couple interviews and stuff and then the combine, which I was looking forward to. This is kind of just the little break I have before everything changes.”
He was invited and attended the MLB draft combine last month in Phoenix, where last August Adams returned to the mound and pitched during the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
“I didn’t do any of the workouts or the throwing,” Adams said about his combine experience. “I just did the medical and interviews. It was really cool being out there. I felt like I was a part of a big thing. It was cool seeing all the other guys in my draft class and all the college guys that, in a way, I’m competing against.”
The 6-foot-4, 183-pound Adams is as humble as gets about the whole process, but still knows how special this situation is and remembers what it was like seeing his name in the MLB top 200 prospects the first time.
“It was definitely a good feeling,” Adams said. “But I worked hard for it. The only reason I’m up there is because I worked hard for it. I’ve proved myself.”
Adams said he and his family and friends are keeping things low key for the draft this week.
Back in February, Adams officially signed with Alabama. A dream school of his.
“He’s talked about it all year, ‘If I get drafted, that would be great. If not, I plan on going to Alabama’,” Ralph said. “That’s his school. He’s in love with the school. To him, he’s got the school of his choice.”
Despite a recent coaching change for the Crimson Tide, the SEC ended the 2023 season in the spotlight after three teams made this year’s College World Series and with LSU defeating Florida in three games for the national championship.
“I’ve always been excited about Alabama,” Adams said. “I know it will also be a great opportunity and it will really be fun. But I have to make whatever is the best decision for me. Both of (Alabama draft and pro baseball) are good decisions.
“We’ll just see how it plays out.”
