ASU Baseball: Benson, Vander Kooi out for year with Tommy John Surgery

Photo: Marlee Smith/WCSN

Arizona State Baseball Head Coach Tracy Smith announced Thursday that redshirt freshman left-handed pitcher Cooper Benson and redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Boyd Vander Kooi will both undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.

“We feel bad for the kids, they’re tremendous workers and have put a lot of time in,” Smith said. “Nobody feels worse for those guys than we do other than their families. These things happen unfortunately but our plan is to get this stuff taken care of and have them rejoin the team next year.”

Vander Kooi, who was on a pitch count to begin the year, expressed his sadness but stayed positive.

“I was shocked in the beginning because I originally thought I was just going to be out for a few weeks and come back and compete,” Vander Kooi said. “I’m in a better state now. It is what it is. At the end of the day I’m not done with baseball and I’m looking forward to coming back and competing.”

Benson concurred with the upper classman.

“It sucks to hear but I’m trying to look at it in a positive way and continue to help out in any way I can,” Benson said. “Never take anything for granted because it could all be over just like that.”

Vander Kooi made just one appearance for the Sun Devils on Feb. 21. He recorded two outs and walked a batter but got the victory.

“I felt a lot of elbow pain out there and I wasn’t able to get extended,” Vander Kooi said. “I thought I could grind through the season but it was so much pain that I couldn’t compete effectively and help the team out.”

Benson made two starts, including opening night against Sacramento State. In that start he went six innings and allowed just one hit and while striking out eight Hornet batters.

His second start came against Hawaii last Friday, and the redshirt freshman went just one inning due to an arm issue.

“I took myself out, I knew I didn’t need to go any more,” Benson said. “It was early in the year and after that first inning I knew something wasn’t right.”

Smith says he expects the surgeries to be completed as soon as possible. Benson said he will have his operation on March 16. No date was given for Vander Kooi.

“When you lose your number one and number two pitcher two weeks into the season that shakes some things up and looks different,” Smith said. “We have very capable guys in that bullpen and the expectation is to prepare to play the next guy.”

Smith also spoke about the topic of throwing too much at lower levels of the game, and whether or not that affects pitchers once they get to the college and professional ranks.

“I’m always about perspective,” he said. “I don’t think there’s an easy answer to that because the dilemma we are in as a college program is [that] we cannot be in the business of telling your commit to go to their high school or summer coach to tell them not to pitch,” Smith said. “I think that has to be more on the family side, but we try to monitor each guy’s usage.”

In other news, Arizona State Athletic Director Ray Anderson announced that outdoor ASU athletics will begin allowing fan attendance beginning with baseball and women’s soccer this weekend.

Venues will be reduced to 20-25% capacity. All fans, ages two years and older, will be required to wear an adequate face covering over their nose and mouth at all times except when actively eating or drinking.

Smith alluded to the annoucement in his press conference, but the Pac-12 had not announced the move officially at the time.

ASU redshirt sophomore right-hander Tyler Thornton is expected to start on Friday night when the Sun Devils host a non-conference series with Utah. Redshirt sophomore left-hander Erik Tolman will be on the mound Saturday against the Utes, with Sunday’s starter still to be announced.