That third baseman sure can pitch

In the span of three outs last Friday night, LJ Brewster went from backup third baseman to one of Hawaii’s top draft prospects.

The Rainbow Warrior sophomore stepped on the mound for the first time as a pitcher and blew UC Irvine away, recording three strikeouts in impressive fashion.

Brewster, who closed for his high school team in Huntington Beach, Calif., showed off a fastball that touched 93 mph on the radar gun and a power curveball that left three Anteaters clueless at the plate.

Even as UCI closed out a 7-1 victory in the bottom of the inning, the 2,160 in attendance were still buzzing about Brewster’s outing.

"It didn’t really hit me at first until a couple of days after when I thought about it," Brewster said Wednesday. "Obviously the adrenaline of the game pumped me up a little more."

Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso has had position players in the past give pitching a shot midway through a season.

None of those guys had the type of stuff that Brewster flashed in both of his outings over the weekend.

"He showed that if he continues to throw 92, 93 on the gun that his future in this game is on the mound rather than at third base," Trapasso said. "He can be a legitimate pro prospect on the mound and we’ll see how it goes."

Brewster was recruited as a third baseman and the heir apparent to four-year starter Piikea Kitamura.

He appeared in limited action as a freshman but won the third base job entering his sophomore year.

He started 13 games but struggled at the plate, hitting .108 before losing his spot to fellow sophomore Juliene Jones during the Nevada series.

It was at that point that assistant coaches Carl Fraticelli and Rusty McNamara approached him about trying out as a pitcher.

"I was struggling at the plate and wasn’t playing third when Coach Mac and Coach Frat came up to me and asked if I wanted to pitch," Brewster said. "I said, Sure, why not?’"

Catcher Trevor Podratz caught Brewster’s first bullpen session and wasn’t surprised by his velocity, which hovered in the 88- to 90-mph range.

"You knew he could throw from third base to first base and the plays he made earlier in the year, you knew this sophomore had some zip," Podratz said. "The ball explodes out of his hand. He’s only going to get better with it."

The velocity on his fastball, which has since jumped into the low 90s, wasn’t the only thing that stood out. Brewster also displayed a nasty curveball that he threw in the upper 70s.

"Maybe that’s why he’s been telling me, Hey coach, let me pitch. Let me throw a bullpen for you,’ " Trapasso said. "That’s not just an average 12-6 curveball. It’s a firm, high-velocity curveball that’s a big breaking ball coming at you at 78-80 miles per hour."

For now, Brewster will continue to double as a two-way player, but his future is clearly on the mound.

He also threw on Sunday against UC Irvine, striking out two in 113 scoreless innings.

With starter Jarrett Arakawa out for at least a week and senior Scott Kuzminsky moving back into the rotation, Brewster will have to throw in multiple games in the same series.

"I’m ready for it," Brewster said. "My arm felt better than I thought (Sunday). After my first bullpen my arm was a little sore, but after Friday, I was ready to throw again on Sunday."

Hawaii continues Big West play against No. 4 Cal Poly with a three-game series beginning Friday night at Les Murakami Stadium.

If UH happens to have a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Brewster will be ready for the challenge.

"Of course," Brewster said. "I feel a lot more comfortable now and I think (Trapasso) does too and hopefully he trusts me enough to get the job done."