Jokisch Continues Climb Towards Success with Fassero

Eric Jokisch could taste life in the big leagues. The Illinois native spent three years at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. before his days in professional baseball and saw from a distance what a major league career looked like. But little did Jokisch know he would need a mentor to help him along after being drafted in the 11^th round of the 2010 draft by the Chicago Cubs. 

"Right after the draft I went up to Boise, Idaho and played some short-season baseball and really struggled, really bad; bad ERA, never got out of innings, it was pretty tough," said Jokisch. 

Jokisch did struggle in his first professional stint as he accumulated a 7.08 ERA and posted 2-3 record in 34.1 inning pitched with 27 earned runs, 28 strikeouts and 23 walks. The left-hander said it took time for him to adjust to professional baseball and work against the style he pitched with at Northwestern.

"In college, with the metal bats, you kind of stay away from the hitters and force them to hit the other way. Here it's a little bit different with the wooden bats. I wasn't very good at throwing inside, didn't get the ball down when I needed to." 

However, Boise would be a blessing in disguise as Jokisch had his first chance to work with Boise pitching coach Jeff Fassero. 

"I worked with Jeff Fassero, our pitching coach here [in Tennessee], and he's actually been with me for about three years now," said Jokisch. "He was the coach in Boise when I got there and the next year he was the pitching coach in Peoria. And last year he was here in Tennessee and I spent most of the year here again."

"I've really been with him every step of the way and so he's really gotten familiar with the way I like to throw and my mechanics and knows when something's off and things like that. So it's nice having him around. 

Jokisch improved drastically at Peoria, his first full season with Fassero. Jokisch went 9-3 in 25 games (11 starts) with a 2.96 ERA 103 strikeouts and 32 walks in 118.2 innings pitched. The lefty earned his first win with the Smokies in the latter part of 2011 and then began 2012 in High-A Daytona, going 3-4 with a 3.38 ERA in nine games before being promoted to Tennessee in May. 

 Jokisch's reunion with Fassero in May proved to be prosperous as Jokisch compiled a 7-2 record with a 2.91 ERA in 18 games (17 starts). But after a solid 2012 season, Fassero is looking to help Jokisch develop a third pitch to go along with the lefty's fastball and changeup. 

"I've always been like a fastball, changeup pitcher. That third pitch has always been more so, so than a good pitch for me. So I really tried to work in the offseason on getting my curveball to be a good pitch," said Jokisch. "Pitching is all about, getting ahead in the count, throwing strikes down in the zone. So if I can improve on that then it always helps you in the future."

Jokisch allowed three hits and one earned run in six innings pitch during Saturday's 12-inning winning against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Now the 23-year-old is looking forward to facing highly touted Dodgers' prospect Yasiel Puig and the rest of the Chattanooga Lookouts during his next start Friday night at Smokies Park. 

I'm excited to watch them these first two games to kind of get a feel for who they've got and things like that," Jokisch said Wednesday afternoon. "I know a few of their guys from last year and they had a really solid team last year too."

And if Jokisch runs into trouble on the mound during Friday's outing, he'll have his sidekick sitting in the home dugout.