Kansas baseball adds quality pitching help with Caleb Deer
Caleb Deer took a longer path than some to the University of Kansas. The 6-foot-7, 261-pound southpaw began his journey at Olathe East, spent two years developing at Kansas City Kansas Community College, and recently signed to continue his baseball career in Lawrence.
“I was super raw coming out of high school,” Deer said. “I threw 92 (mph), but I didn’t know how to pitch. I had thrown less than 12 total innings in high school, so I didn’t have many schools interested besides a couple JUCOs.”
One of those junior colleges was KCKCC, and head coach Matt Goldbeck saw something in Deer.
“Coach Goldbeck told me they thought I could be really good,” Deer said. “I visited, and they showed me their development plan. It just felt right. I felt like God was leading me to KCK.”
Coming back strong after Tommy John
At KCKCC Deer faced a big setback. He had Tommy John surgery in the fall of his freshman year. The rehab process took over 16 months, and he returned to pitch around 15 innings the following season. His velocity recovered, and though he was healthy, he was still improving his game.
This past offseason, Deer began working closely with pitching coaches Noah Briley and Bob Zimmerman.
“I had never worked on mechanics that intensely before,” he said. “First time I threw at high intensity, I hit 94. A few weeks later, I touched 97.”
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As the velocity increased, so did the attention from college scouts. Coaches started calling, and the recruiting picked up fast. Deer threw 55 innings this spring for KCKCC, the most ever in his career.
The Kansas coaches along with several other quality baseball program started to reach out to Deer.
“I visited Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas,” Deer said. “Some of those SEC schools felt more like business transactions. Nothing wrong with that. They have to win. But it didn’t feel as genuine. With KU, I felt like I could play, develop, and do something special.”
The Jayhawks’ 2024 season helped reinforce that feeling. He watched as the team appeared in the Top 25, draw sellout crowds and make the NCAA Tournament.
“I visited before the season started, and I already knew they were trending up,” he said. “Watching how well they played in the Big 12 all spring just confirmed everything. It showed me they’re a program going in the right direction.”
Staying close to home was a factor
Staying close to home was another benefit for Deer. He will continue to play in front of family and friends at the next level.
“My support system is here,” Deer said. “My physical therapist, pitching coaches, and family. I couldn’t have asked for a better setup. My family will be able to come to a bunch of games. It’s just perfect.”
Throughout the recruiting process, Deer built strong relationships with KU’s coaching staff. Recruiting coordinator Jon Coyne was involved along with head coach Dan Fitzgerald and Brandon Scott.
“Coach Coyne did most of the recruiting, but I talked with Coach Fitz and Coach Scott, too,” he said. “Coyne’s a great recruiter. He knows how to get players to buy in, and you can tell they all care about you as a person, not just a player.”
He is ready to report to campus soon and start his Kansas career. He has been in communication with the coaches and will arrive next month.
“Everything worked out exactly how it was supposed to,” he said. “I’m just excited to get started. I was just on the phone with Coach Coyne last night. They check in regularly. It’s not just about baseball with them, they truly care. I wouldn’t want to be with any other staff.”
