When Quinn Miller stood on the mound at Harrison High School April 15, he was acutely aware of some of the eyes on him. They belonged to scouts from the Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Clarkstown North senior, who pitched five shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over Harrison that day, has a 2-1 record this season. In 16 innings, he has given up just four hits, six walks and one run. He has struck out 32 — an average of two per inning.
Those numbers are part of the reason why the scouts were there and why they’ve been at each of Miller’s starts this season, despite Miller having committed to play for the U.S, Military Academy at West Point and having no intention of breaking that commitment. He made that commitment in December of his freshman year. At the time, he was already throwing 84 mph. Now scouts are routinely clocking him at 90-94 with his fastball (he has hit 95), 78-82 with his curve, 83-86 with his splitter and 84-87 with his cutter.
Thus, the large interest in Miller, who’s trading what’s basically a guaranteed spot with a Major League club’s farm team this summer for boot camp.
But Miller isn’t burying his MLB dreams. The two-year Clarkstown North captain, who missed essentially two seasons of high school baseball due to an elbow injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery, plans, if his collegiate baseball career goes well, to seek, as many top athletes have successfully done, a delay in serving his post-graduation, required military service to pursue professional baseball.
Below, in a Q & A, Miller, who turned 18 on April 21, talks in part about his reasons for going to West Point and his future.
Q: When did you first think about attending West Point?
A: Summer going into fall going into my freshman year.
Q: Had you been to West Point?
A: I went to plenty of football games.
Q: You committed to Army as a freshman, which seems unusual. Did they recruit you?
A: There were definitely people who helped (me). Coach (John) Greeley at RCC (Rockland Community College), who’d coached my brother, (Kaden), put in a word with West Point (associate head) coach (Mike) Cole. …. Paid college camps usually don’t work but it (attending one at Army) ended up working for me. I was on their radar and I ended up doing really well.
Q: What do you plan to study?
A: I’ll probably (enter) undeclared but I might go business or accounting.
Q: Were either of your parents in the military? And … given the potential danger (of a military career), was going to West Point a hard sell to your parents or were they right on board.
A: No. (They weren’t in the military). My grandfather, (Bill Furdon) was in the Navy… (But) my parents (Laura and Wes) were right on board from the beginning. Everybody was in my family.
Q: Is it the tradition, the service, the structure or something else that you find most attractive about West Point?
A: I’d say for me, its the education and leadership training they do.
Q: Most high-level players play summer ball. Do you do that?
A: I’ve played with (Rockland-based) Cane’s Tri-State, (which has players from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut).
Q: Are some of those teammates going to Top-20 Div. I teams?
A: Yes
Q: Is it hard for them to understand you going to West Point?
A: I guess it’s surprising, but they understand it, too.
Q: Is it a difficult decision since West Point doesn’t allow NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money?
A: It’s hard to explain. West Point is an amazing school. Of course, it’s difficult to pass up (on the NIL). But (the military) is what I want to do if not baseball. …. That’s 100% why West Point is such a good choice for me.
Q: Did you have an official visit?
A: I had my official visit last year and also went to a fall game (last fall) and met all the guys.
Q: What was most impressive?
A: The coaching is the most outstanding part, from the head coach to the assistant coach to the pitching coach.
Q: When you’re not pitching for Clarkstown North, what position do you play? And have you been told if you’re going to be a starter or reliever at West Point and do you anticipate playing the same position (as you do now) when not pitching?
A: I DH (when not pitching). We haven’t gotten that far — start or relief. But I’ll most likely not be a DH. It’s a whole different animal in college baseball. There’s a lot of work to do (to just pitch).
Q: When do you have to report to West Point and when is your high school graduation?
A: I report June 29. I graduate June 23.
Q: Are you apprehensive about or do you embrace the challenge of basic training?
A: Of course, it’s going to be difficult with hardships, but I look forward to it.
Q: What are you doing to prepare?
A: Right now I’m training whenever I can … I’m training with running and everything I need to do.
Q: Is there anything you’ll have to tweak a little (in your life to adjust to West Point)? Is there something you’ll miss, like sleeping in or something else?
A: I love sleeping in but I wouldn’t say I’ll be missing anything. Classes will be difficult, but I like a challenge (and) with all the help — the tutors (they provide) everyone — I should be fine.
Q: Do you have goals for your final baseball season at Clarkstown North and your freshman year college season?
A: I wouldn’t say for college. But right now my goal is to not give up (another) run this season at North and to reach the 100-strikeout mark. My freshman and sophomore season, I missed both. I had Tommy John (elbow ligament) surgery (after pitching very little as a freshman due to the injury).
Q: Is there anything else you’d like people to know?
A: Coming back from injury, it’s so difficult. I didn’t play a game for over a year (after surgery). It was a very long recovery.
Q: Did you have any doubts (about being able to play again)?
A: Of course, there are going to be doubts with any kind of injury, But I never gave up to any extent. I always put the work in at rehab.
Q: Is there anything else people should know?
A: I started going to Velo U., a training facility in Pleasantville, in August. They helped me out tremendously. I was topping at 91-92 (mph). One fall and winter, I was so much stronger, so much better. …. Now I’m squatting almost 600 pounds.
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Clarkstown North pitcher Quinn MIller discusses baseball, West Point
Reporting by Nancy Haggerty, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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