Under Armour All-America Game 2015: Jonathan Gettys Spotlight

Jonathan Gettys watched as his older brother Michael, an outfielder, played in the 2013 Under Armour All-American Game. While watching his brother play in the event, he hoped to one day have the same opportunity.

Gettys will get that chance this year, as the lefthander from Gainesville (Ga.) High will play in the 2015 Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field on Aug. 15.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Gettys said. “I’m very thankful to get selected. My brother said it was a lot of fun. I’m glad to be playing in it.”

While Michael Gettys went to the game as an outfielder, Jonathan Gettys is a power pitcher. Listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he has an easy delivery and gets good plane on his fastball, which can reach 94 mph. He gets good depth on his breaking ball and will occasionally mix in a changeup.

This spring, Gettys helped lead Gainesville High to the state championship series in Georgia’s Class AAAAA state tournament. He struck out 11 batters in a Game 1 victory against Greenbrier High (Evans, Ga.), but the Red Elephants lost the next two games to drop the three-game set.

Gettys, a Louisiana State commit, finished the season 12-3 with a 0.85 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings.

Gettys said he chose Louisiana State after a visit to the Baton Rouge campus convinced him it was where he wanted to play college baseball.

“I went up there for a visit and I loved everything about it,” Gettys said. “They’ve got a nice campus and everything. The fans there are crazy. It’s an awesome atmosphere.”

This summer, Gettys is playing with Team Elite Roadrunners, his travel ball team. In the all-important summer before his senior year of high school, he said he’s working to improve on the mound.

“Just keep getting stronger and work on everything I can to be better,” he said. “Work on command, work a little more on my changeup.”

After playing in the Under Armour All-American Game, Michael Gettys went on to be selected in the second round of the 2014 draft by the Padres. He is now the everyday center fielder for low Class A Fort Wayne.

Jonathan Gettys is working this summer with the goal of positioning himself to surpass his older brother’s draft status next June.

“Keep getting better and better every time I get out there and pitch,” Gettys said, “and hopefully be a first-rounder.”