When Ryan Kraft strides to the mound to begin his senior season at Indiana, he will do so with a wealth of experience—both the highs and lows of college baseball.
The towering 6-foot-4 left-hander out of Mokena, Illinois, is no stranger to bright lights and pressure-packed moments.
He has been a dominant force out of the bullpen, an All-Big Ten reliever. He has also battled through the frustration of a down year.
But if this past summer proved anything, it is that Kraft is far from finished. For Kraft, the 2024 season is about returning to the pitcher he knows he can be.
After a sensational sophomore campaign in which he posted a 2.48 ERA over 61.2 innings, the Indiana southpaw struggled to find his rhythm as a junior. His numbers dipped—a 7.27 ERA over just 26 innings, nearly a full run per inning higher than the year before.
The workload decreased, confidence wavered, and the dominance that once made him one of the Big Ten's best relievers seemed like a distant memory.
"Disappointing," Kraft said of his junior season. "But it's just one year... can't dwell on that too much. Use it as a learning experience, you have to learn from the bad."
So, Kraft did just that. He did not let frustration consume him. Instead, he took his game to the Northwoods League, where he transformed into one of the league's most dominant pitchers this summer.
As a starter for the Kalamazoo Growlers, Kraft delivered a 1.44 ERA over 56.1 innings and a league-leading 81 strikeouts—a Growlers franchise record for punchouts in a single season. To cap it all off, he was named the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year.
"He did extremely well filling up the zone and executing his pitches," Growlers pitching coach Nate Wargolet said. "He was able to get a lot of strikeouts and swing-and-miss stuff this summer."
Kraft was not just striking out hitters—he was dominating in a cerebral way. In the dugout, he meticulously studied spray charts and scouting reports, memorizing hitters' tendencies after just one time through the order.
Wargolet recalled how Kraft, after escaping a jam or finishing a big inning, would come back to the bench, still fired up but level-headed, immediately diving into a game plan for his next frame.
"He's a super intelligent human being," Wargolet said. "He was an amazing kid to work with. He asked a lot of good questions, was super polite and a respectful kid. He's a terrific human being."
Now, as he gears up for his senior season, Kraft is ready to prove that his struggles as a junior were nothing more than a speed bump in his collegiate career.
Confidence and trust in himself, Kraft said, fueled his breakout sophomore campaign. He focused on landing his off-speed pitches for strikes and getting ahead of hitters early in counts, which paid dividends throughout the 2023 season.
That approach carried over to his summer success. Kraft's devastating slider, which he tunneled well off his sinker, became his go-to weapon with the Growlers. He attacked hitters relentlessly, staying ahead in counts and using his put-away pitches effectively.
"I can do anything I put my mind to," Kraft said. "I feel like this year I've really learned who I am as a pitcher."
That self-discovery, he believes, will be crucial in his final year at Indiana. Kraft and the Hoosiers have emphasized getting back to what made him so dominant in the first place—pounding the strike zone, attacking hitters, and trusting his stuff.
Kraft does not care about the title—starter, reliever, closer—it is all the same to him. He simply wants to take whatever role he is given and perform at the highest level. He wants to compete.
After all, that mentality earned him the nickname "bulldog" this summer from his pitching coach.
"A guy who is a competitor between the lines, a guy who wants to get guys out and a guy who's not going to back down," Kraft said when asked what a "bulldog" on the mound means to him. "Just doesn't back away from a fight."
"I would say so," Kraft added when asked if that was an apt description of him. "I'm really never too shy of getting into a good fight on the mound."
As the 2025 season approaches, Kraft is not making bold predictions or focusing on personal accolades. He is focused on one thing—getting back to who he is as a pitcher.
And after a summer of self-reflection and dominance, Kraft is more than ready for his final act in Bloomington.
–––––
Like this content? Join the conversation on TheHoosier.com's premium message boards and subscribe today!
– Follow TheHoosier on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
– Subscribe to TheHoosier on YouTube for more content
– Interact with fellow fans on TheHoosier's Premium Football Board and Premium Hoops Board
