Career Highlights
- OSU Scholar-Athlete (2019)
2021 (Junior)
- Appeared in 15 games out of the pen, which was tied for second-most on the team
- Had a 3-1 record with a 5.64 ERA and also recorded one save
- Pitched 22.1 innings and recorded 27 strikeouts
- Was lights out early in the season, allowing just one earned run in his first 7.1 innings with nine strikeouts
- Went a season-high 2.2 innings at Michigan on April 11 and allowed just one run while recording five punchouts
- Had five strikeouts in two innings of work in the season-finale vs. Northwestern on May 30
2020 (Sophomore)
- 1-1 with a 5.23 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched
- Second on the team with six appearances
- Tied career-high six strikeouts while allowing just one hit in three shutout innings to earn the save against Pittsburgh (2/15)
- Tossed a scoreless innings against Indiana State (2/16)
- Pitched 0.2 scoreless innings vs. Fairfield (3/8)
- Struck out a pair in 0.2 scoreless frames at North Florida (3/11)
2019 (Freshman)
- 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA in 20 relief appearances
- 53 strikeouts and 29 walks in 35.0 innings pitched
- Made collegiate debut at FGCU, throwing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts (2/18)
- Struck out a season-high six in 2.1 innings at Bethune-Cookman (3/3)
- Fanned five over 3.1 innings of relief at Furman (3/11)
- Claimed first collegiate win after throwing 2.2 innings of relief with four strikeouts on two hits and one unearned run and one walk vs. Northern Kentucky (3/19)
- Received the win over Hawai’i, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts and one walk (3/22)
- Fanned two in one scoreless inning of relief vs. Toledo (3/27)
- Struck out two in one scoreless inning vs. Cincinnati (4/3)
- Fanned three in 2.2 innings of relief at Ohio (4/9)
- Struck out the side in one scoreless inning of relief vs. Xavier (4/16)
- Pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts in game two vs. Penn State (5/11)
- Pitched in the NCAA Regional game vs. No. 2 Vanderbilt, throwing 1.2 innings of relief on one run, three hits, one walk and one strikeout (5/31)
Prior to Ohio State
- Played high school baseball for Coach Sean Swan at Kokomo
- Played summer ball for the Orlando Scorpions and coach Matt Gerber
- Four-time first team all-conference
- Batted .328 with two home runs and 38 RBI in 2017
- 5-1 with 56 strikeouts and 2.28 ERA on the mound
Personal
- Son of Debbie and Derek Root
- Has one sibling, Berklyn
- Father was a fifth-round draft pick of the Houston Astros in the 1993 MLB Draft and played seven professional seasons with Houston, San Diego, and the New York Mets organizations
- Would like to play professional baseball after graduation or go to law school
- Enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching T.V and playing Fortnite
- Economics major