Bakersfield College pitcher Jake Wild knows baseball. The star right-handed pitcher has been a key player in putting the Renegades on top in the Southern Western State Conference this season.

The Chicago White Sox drafted Wild last year in the 17th round of Major League Baseball’s Amateur Draft. Wild decided to stay in school despite the opportunity to play professional ball.

“I wasn’t very surprised. He (Wild) is a very talented individual,”said Ryan Wood, varsity baseball coach at Immanuel. Wood also said that Wild has potential and that “if he sticks with it, he’ll be successful.”

The once three-sport athlete from Immanuel High School in Reedley originally decided to attend BC because of the reputation the program had and because of the high-caliber coaching staff.

“I thought there would be more opportunity for me in baseball than in football or basketball so I stuck with it,” said Wild.

Wild was a member of the 2002 Central Section Championship Baseball team and played in three valley championships during his career at Immanuel and he didn’t start pitching until his senior year.

Wild’s most memorable moment since playing for BC was the first game he took the mound for the Renegades. He was called in with two outs in the bottom of the 9th as a relief pitcher in a game against Golden West College and struck the batter out on three straight pitches.

So far this season, Wild is 5-3 with three saves and according to a Spincostats.com report on April 4, Wild has a 2.39 ERA.

Fellow pitcher Nick Villalovos said that Wild is the best competitor he’s ever seen.

“He switches into another gear,” said Villalovos.

Wild has earned the respect of his teammates the past two seasons. He signed to play baseball with the University of the Pacific in Stockton and will transfer there this fall.