C’s Recap – 2024 Vancouver Canadians RHP #40 Josh Mollerus – C's Plus Baseball

The latest C’s Chat is with 2024 Vancouver Canadians pitcher Josh Mollerus.

Born in San Francisco, Mollerus grew up in the San Jose area and attended Bellarmine College Prep. He gained recognition before taking the mound in his senior season when he was named a Preseason All-American and received an all-region honourable mention by Perfect Game. Mollerus delivered the goods for the Bells with a stellar senior season in 2018. He dominated in relief with a 2-0 record, 1.10 earned run average, a strikeout/walk total of 44-7 in 38-1/3 innings and held batters to a .146 batting average. Those efforts helped Bellarmine reach the California Interscholastic Federation Central Coast Section Division I championship final.

Perfect Game rated Mollerus as the 55th-best right-handed pitcher in California and believed he was a “potential top-10 round pick and/or highest level college prospect” after giving him a 9 out of 10 on its grading scale.

It was off to college as Mollerus attended the University of San Francisco. He logged 51-1/3 innings mostly in relief and posted a 5.26 ERA in his freshman season of 2019 but finished with a 1.42 ERA over his final seven apparances. In 2020, Mollerus pitched exactly 50 fewer innings as COVID limited his season with the Dons to just three appearances. The 2021 campaign was a struggle for Mollerus as his ERA soared to 7.04 in 46 innings. He turned things around in summer ball with the Portland Pickles of the West Coast League. In 18 relief appearances, Mollerus struck out 37 batters and gave up just one earned run over 23 innings for a minuscule 0.39 ERA to go along with two saves. He was named a First-Team All-West Coast League All-Star.

Now used strictly as a reliever, Mollerus carried over his summer college success with the Dons in 2022. He won four of six decisions with a 3.96 ERA and five saves, striking out 52 strikeouts against nine walks in 36-1/3 innings. Another summer stint awaited Mollerus as he joined the State College Spikes of the MLB Draft League where he would fan 31 batters against nine walks over 18-2/3 innings.

The 2023 season saw Mollerus head up the West Coast to join the Oregon Ducks. Called upon to fill the shoes of two-time All-PAC-12 closer Kolby Somers, Mollerus got the job done as he helped Oregon win the Nashville Regional by converting two saves against Xavier and number 3-ranked Vanderbilt. Hosting the Super Regional in Eugene, Mollerus was the winning pitcher when he tossed 1-1/3 shutout innings with a strikeout as the Ducks rallied to beat Oral Roberts in the first game of the best-of-three set. Unfortunately for Mollerus and Oregon, the Golden Eagles won the next two games to advance to the College World Series in Omaha.

Earning ABCA/Rawlings second-team All-West Region honors an All-Pac-12 Conference honourable mention, Mollerus struck out 50 batters and walked 18 in 36-2/3 innings and held hitters to a .201 batting average.HE finishes the year with a 3-3 record, a 3.44 ERA and 11 saves.

Making Mollerus’ dreams and Perfect Game’s prediction come true, the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB Draft on the recommendation of scout Ryan Fox.

After getting a signing bonus of $47,500, Mollerus made his pro debut in Dunedin and pitched a shutout inning at Tampa on July 29. His first win came at Clearwater on with 1-2/3 shutout stanzas and a pair of strikeouts on August 20. He finished up strong by fanning four batters over two shutout innings against Jupiter on September 8.

Mollerus was named to the C’s Opening Day roster in 2024 and pitched a shutout frame in his Northwest League at Spokane on April 7. He earned a hold in his Nat Bailey Stadium debut with a perfect inning and two punchouts in a win at Hillsboro on April 12. His first professional save came in Tri-City where he stranded two inherited runners and struck out three over 1-1/3 shutout innings on May 4. Mollerus’ first win in a C’s uniform came when he struck out two over two scoreless stanzas at Hillsboro on May 25. He ended May with a save against Tri-City by striking one out in a shutout ninth on May 30.

In June, Mollerus found his stride and ultimately upped his trade value by putting up a 1.42 ERA. He fanned five over two scoreless innings to contribute to a huge comeback win at Everett on June 8. Over his final four appearances, Mollerus pitched 5-2/3 shutout innings and picked up the save in his final three appearances at Tri-City on June 22 (2IP, 2K) and versus Hillsboro on June 26 (1.2IP 4K) and June 29 (1IP, 1K). One day later, Mollerus was traded to the Texas Rangers for fellow righthander Yerry Rodriguez and is now with the High-A Hickory Crawdads.

C’s Plus Baseball spoke with the 24-year-old Mollerus during the Hillsboro homestand in late June. This interview has been edited for clarity.

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C’s Plus Baseball – How did you get started in baseball?

Josh Mollerus – Just playing wiffle ball out in the driveway with my Dad at our old house. We lived on a small court but had plenty of space to do it. So we got a wiffle ball set when I was like three or four. My Dad would just throw to me and I’d just hit the balls, go shag them and then do it again a lot of the time during the summer, even sometimes during the fall. Then I started playing T-ball when I was around five. He was my manager all the way through my little league career, did PONY for two years, high school and travel ball throughout that time as well. I played other sports up through high school as well. I played soccer, flag football, and basketball up until the time I was 14, 15, and then I just focused on baseball from there. Then I went to college, played at University of San Francisco for four years, grad transferred to Oregon for my final year and then got the opportunity out of there, which I’m still truly grateful for.

CPB – When did you get started pitching? Were you always a pitcher throughout?

JM – I would play other positions as well out through high school. I slowly became a pitcher when I got to college. I played third, first, and then corner outfield through my travel ball and high school careers.

CPB – Speaking of high school, anything that stands out for you when you look back?

JM – I think definitely the most special game was us winning the Boras Classic championship for California. At that point, that was our equivalent of a State 1 (championship) because it’s the only time you really got like a north section winner facing a southern section winner. It was an incredible game and I’m glad that we were able to pull that one off.

CPB – Was there anyone who helped you out developing as a pitcher?

JM -Yeah I gotta give thanks to I’d say first and foremost Mat Krplinger from the University of San Francisco. He’s actually the head baseball coach at JSerrah which was a rival high school for me when I was at Bellarmine College Prep. JSerra was where Barry Bonds went so a lot of history there. I’m glad he’s doing well there but I’m truly in debt to him. He helped me fix a ton of stuff coming off an injury in my first year. To help me define myself and who I am today. I’m just truly grateful for him. And then Jake Angier, who’s now the head coach at New Mexico State, for giving me the opportunity to get to Oregon and helping me push myself every day during that ’23 season. And then obviously all the coordinators and coaches here (with the Blue Jays) for taking the chance on me. Cory Popham, Corey Riordan, and then my two coaches here (with the Canadians), (pitching coach) Austin Bibens-Dirkx and Carson Phillips. I also gotta give a special shout-out to Yoel Hernández out in Dunedin from last year as well. Thanks to all those guys for helping me throughout this time.

CPB – In San Francisco, your performances were getting better and better and it seems like in 2022 you really found something. What was the key to your success?

JM – I think just moving from a kind of undefined role to, you know, really like the back end of the bullpen consistently. I was moving around from being a spot starter to a long relief guy just eating up innings and stuff. I think I really found it during the summer of 2021 when I was playing summer ball in the West Coast League with Portland. That was when I started doing a bunch of back-end stuff and that was a really good time for me to just find who I am and help me to find my role in 2022.

CPB – What was your time like with the Portland Pickles?The West Coast League might be an underrated league but how did you feel about your experience there?

JM – Yeah, a very underrated league. Pretty great environment that they put together there in Portland. Even for the first year, they were getting a couple thousand fans a game there and they’ve only grown that. Really good competition throughout. It was just fun summer ball with the boys during that time. Not the greatest fields or environment sometimes, but it is what it is and it’s really just the memories that I’ve made with my teammates that made it special.

CPB -You transferred to Oregon and had a really good season where the Ducks hosted the Super Regional in Eugene. What was that season like for you?

JM – I think it was like a prove-it season for me. Just playing against way better competition all the time. There wasn’t really a weekend that we could take off. We expected to get to Omaha amd we expected to win every game in dominating fashion. The PAC-12 was up there as one of the top leagues, right behind the SEC for one of the top leagues. Anyone could beat anybody at any time. You had to be on your toes and it was a dogfight for every single victory.

CPB – You get drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 10th round. Where were you when you found out you were picked?

JM – Funny story. I had been talking with my (advisor) and he was saying like, ‘All right, this might happen. I’m talking with them and a few other people. It’ll happen quick. Don’t know when exactly so just be on heads up.’ There were a couple things in the morning that happened and then nothing for two or three hours. I’m like, ‘All right, well, I got to go and throw.’ I went to a facility to go throw. My friends had been watching the draft tracker and was like, you know, ‘Let’s go Jays.’ Just a bunch of exclamation points after it and I’m like ‘Oh boy, that’s it right there’ And then boom, my (advisor) called me, Ryan (Ryan Fox) called me. A bunch of people were blowing up my phone telling me ‘Congratulations’. I got my throwing in really quickly, then busted home and celebrated with my family that night. I’m just really, really thrilled to just be a part of it.

CPB – Did you have any idea it was going to be the Blue Jays or did you think there was going to be another team to take you?

JM – I’d only done stuff once with Ryan. It was me and a few other guys who interviewed with him one-by-one out at P.K. Park on one of our off days. I had a great conversation with him but I didn’t really hear anything. He was one of the few people I didn’t hear anything from that point on up until the draft. But it worked out, I’m not complaining right now. I’m super, super happy and thankful to be here.

CPB – Speaking of former Oregon Ducks, Josh Kasevich. Did you get a chance to interact with him at all?

JM – Yeah, I talked with him during a little strength camp up there after the season had ended and then also during spring training as well. He was thrilled that I’d been picked. He had nothing but great things to say about the org. And then he just helped run me through the schedule we had during spring training. If I had any questions—obviously we’re on two different schedules, him being a position player, me being a pitcher—but he just said, ‘Do X, Y, and Z, and you’ll be fine,’ so I’m thankful for that. This year he’s doing really well.

CPB – It’s really a quick turnaround when you find out you get drafted and next thing you know you’re making travel plans to Dunedin, Florida and have the draft camp. What was that all like going through that?

JM – Yeah, that was my first time actually being out that way down in Florida. Definitely a different environment and getting used to it. That heat was something else. I’d played down in Arizona multiple times, and it felt that 105 (degrees Farenheit) felt was way different than the 90 that was down in Dunedin. The league learning experience, it’s just a different game than college. There’s so many things that are different about it. But yeah, it was just making that adjustment from college ball to pro ball and learning how the pro ball game is played versus college.

JM – You also had a chance to go to the Player Ddevelopment Complex in Dunedin. How does it compare to what you worked with in San Francisco and Oregon previously?

JM – It blows it out of the water. I mean, I know it’s really new so that kind of helps it as well but what they have there is pretty great to go to for training and stuff.

CPB – Is there anything that you learned about yourself at the PDC?

JM – Just having talks over the offseasons with my pitching coordinators, the pitching coach and the then strength coach as well. I think just having conversations with them consistently throughout the offseason is when I started to learn more about myself and what I need to do, how my body was adapting and what my stuff was doing as I progressed throughout throwing and lifting during the offseason.

CPB – Your pitching repertoire. I’ve heard a fastball and a slider. What is it that you do throw?

JM – Fastball, slider and then a changeup. I’ve been working the changeup here and there. I haven’t thrown it a ton. It’s still a work in progress but signs have shown that it can be a really good pitch. I just want to throw it more and truly add it instead of having it be just something here. I’ve got confidence it can be a quality third offering.

CPB – The fastball. Four-seam or two-seam?

JM – Four-seam.

CPB – From what I hear, one of the positives about the way you pitch is with the high fastball. What does that mean to your success?

JM – Yeah, just knowing what my stuff does with all three of (my pitches) and then putting it into the locations that I need to. Doing that, knowing where my stuff will play, along with the reports that we have for the hitters that we face. Not reading too much into those but just enough to where I can combine those two things and then basically have a game plan on what I want to do against hitters.

CPB – The slider or is it a sweeper? How would you describe it?

JM – I think it’s just a slider. I just go up there and try to rip it. That’s about it. I don’t really know the classification for it. I gripped the ball with the middle finger on the seam. Then I just shifted it to having it be between my middle and index finger on the ball. I just stuck with that once I started having really good success. And I’ve been throwing it that way for, I think, the past two-and-a-half years.

CPB – You’re here in Vancouver. Is this the first time you’ve been in Canada?

JM – When I was younger, I took a trip to Victoria with my family, then we went to the San Juan Islands as well. But in the Vancouver area, yes, it’s the first time I’ve been up here.

CPB – Now you’re here in the Northwest League. How big a diference is it from the Florida State League, weather aside?

JM – Obviously the hitters here are just more polished. They have more refined approaches versus the Florida State League, you know, just having that game plan and sticking to it. Just making fewer mistakes over the heart of the plate. Those will get punished here more and even as you move up, hitters just keep getting better and better, bigger, faster and stronger and they miss less and have more discipline. Making sure that the command is dialed in here and sticking to the game plan, knowing where you need to throw stuff and what counts.

CPB – You got to pitch back in Oregon earlier this year, and you’re going to be heading that way once again (Editor’s Note – he would not get to return to Eugene again as he was traded). What was that like getting to pitch again in your former stomping grounds?

JM – It was a pretty fun experience going back there again, being on the other side. Not a great week for us overall as a team so I wish I could have said it was really, really great. I think we’re looking this time to go back in there and change that and take care of business.

CPB – In the month of June, things have been really going well for you and that was evidenced by a couple nights ago. You come into the game with a bases loaded situation (against Hillsboro), and you get out of it and you finish it off. Talk about what that experience was like in front of a pretty charged atmosphere here at the Nat?.

JM – I had to get going pretty quick. I was expecting to throw only the ninth if it stayed there but things started going sideways. I just had to really pick it up on a cold and rainy night. It was hard to dig into that mound. Every single time I tried wiping my cleats off, like the next pitch, they were just flat again with mud. But I knew I had to go in there and pick my teammate (Chay Yeager) up. I mean, that’s my guy. I just knew I had to get in there, compete, bear down and do it. We had a chance to win the ballgame. Even though I wasn’t feeling the greatest, the mound wasn’t the greatest, the weather wasn’t the greatest. The crowd helped me out as well and I made some big pitches when I needed to.

CPB – You really seem to radiate an intensity on the mound. You look pretty intense out there. I guess that’s what you have to do is kind of assume a bulldog mentality?

JM – Yeah, especially when it’s the last three or six outs. Those are the hardest ones to get they say so just bearing down and making sure that you know the other team get a few guys, they still don’t have a chance to get in there and have a chance to change that score.

CPB – Final couple of questions. You’re from San Francisco so I’m assuming the Giants were your favourite team. Did you have a favourite player?

JM – Yeah, the Giants were my favorite team. My hometown is San Jose, I grew up 10, 15 minutes away from the Low-A stadium. When I was younger, I saw Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and Pablo Sandoval all out there playing and it was pretty fun to watch. I saw those guys in Low-A and then have them win the three World Series from 2010 through 2014 but the Blue Jays are my team now.

CPB – Final question. The Canadians have five different uniforms—red, black, gray white and blue. Do you have a favourite?

JM – I’d say the black one is probably my favourite.

Josh Mollerus File

Born – October 6, 1999 in San Francisco, California
Height/Weight – 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Bats/Throws – Right/Right
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 40 with San Francisco from 2019-2022. Wore number 40 with Oregon in 2023. Wore number 44 with Dunedin in 2023. Now wearing number 35 with High-A Hickory.
Mound Music – “Hard Times” by 42 Dugg.
Twitter – @_jmo40_
Instagram – @_jmo40_