Upside, upside, upside.
Itโs one of the many terms you see repeated over and over again in the amateur circuit, a word that gets thrown around far too often.
Peyton Olds makes it mean something.
A six-foot-two, 205-pound right-handed pitcher who has made waves with the NorCal program, the two-sport star is already up to 89 miles per hour with a fastball that plays in game action, one that he supplements with a slider that got more than a few outs at the most recent New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Underclass Combine and Underclass Elite events.
Itโs that kind of pedigree that made him a no-brainer selection for the upcoming inaugural Future Stars Series Showdown, where heโll be one of just a handful of 2025 grad class players set to compete on the big stage.
Olds will join fellow NorCal teammate Manny Dorantes as one of the juniors being showcased, and has been appreciative of his experiences with that program that have helped him get to this point today.
โItโs just great,โ Olds told FSS Plus. โI love all my teammates there, thereโs great coaches there, and thereโs great history. They know what theyโre doing, so Iโm just glad to be a part of it. You want your name (on the famous shirts with NorCal draft picks and All-Stars), and it just motivates you more. Youโve got to set a standard for the program for the guys in front of you. Thereโs so many names, and you look up to all of them. You want to be in that big spotlight at the end of the day.โ
RHP, Peyton Olds (@OldsPeyton) is a 2025 grad at the National Combine. 85-87 with cut on the fastball and threw a slider for strikes.@NB_Baseball @P15Sports #WeGotNow pic.twitter.com/jFQRSBnDS5
โ New Balance ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ (@ftrstarsseries) July 4, 2023
Heโs on the right track to get there right now. But Olds, who grew up a San Francisco Giants fan and enjoyed watching Madison Bumgarner, says he knows he needs to continue to work in the future to make it all happen.
To that end, Olds says heโs working on a third pitch, a changeup, which is one that you may see in game action at Globe Life Field next week.
โItโs just getting it more consistent,โ he said. โIt got a lot better in the fall, and I want to keep working on all of my pitches, but especially get the changeup down. Itโs focusing more on bullpens and throwing it more in games, during high school fall ball games where weโre trying to work on stuff, and in practices. I throw a lot of flatgrounds with it, and just try to work it in whenever I can. I think itโs just another pitch where they have to keep guessing, and I think it can really help me be a long-term starter instead of a reliever.โ
Oldsโ fastball velocity has slowly been creeping up โ he was sitting 85-87 at the National Combine, and then touching 88 at the Underclass Elite โ and with his big frame, he canโt help but wonder himself what might be in there when he truly develops whatโs left in the tank.
โI feel like thereโs a lot left in the tank,โ he said. โI feel like Iโve barely even reached my potential. Iโm just going to keep getting better the harder I work.โ
Now? The scouting reports of the FSS staff are glowing, with notes like โhas now arm strength and velo,โ and โonly a โ25, so by the time he is draft eligible he could be a factorโฆsure will have D1 droolingโ dotted across one of his most recent write-ups.
Down the road? Itโs continuing to unlock that upside, and understanding the process that will take him there, with Olds saying he knows he needs to โcontinue to hit the weight room hard and do a lot of mobility stretches.โ
The now, though? It plays.
Olds didnโt allow an earned run during his Underclass Elite outing, striking out two along the way during a relief performance at Dunkinโ Donuts Park, and enjoyed the opportunity to hopefully get an early taste of what his future might hold by pitching in a professional ballpark.
โThat was just a great time, and I got to meet a lot of new people,โ he said. โPlaying in a pro ball like that, it gives you a projection on where you want to be, and a way to set a goal. It makes you want to be there even more, every day.โ
First, however, itโs college. Olds remains uncommitted, and is hopeful that his big summer and the work that he continues to put in will lead to earning an opportunity to show what he can do at the next level.
โJust trying to stay patient,โ he said. โStill uncommitted, but trying to find the right school. I want them to want me just as much as I want them. Itโs exciting, all the interest, but Iโm just trying to be patient so I can find whatโs best for meโฆthis is all Iโve ever wanted since I was a little kid, so Iโll just keep grinding every day.โ
Since 2003, he has covered multiple World Series and has worked high-profile events ranging from the MLB All-Star Game to the World Baseball Classic. In addition to his role working for the Future Stars Series that he's held since 2017, Ashmore currently serves as the beat writer of the Double-A New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, as well as national hockey writer and New York Jets game day beat reporter for The Trentonian.
A regular contributor to Baseball America, Ashmore has worked seven Super Bowls, 11 Stanley Cup Finals, the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA Playoffs, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 3,200 games covered in his career.
An avid card collector and sim racer, he lives with his wife, Sarah, their son William, and their beloved dog, Bailey, and cat, Smokey.
