BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keystone Heights High School senior Austin Musgrove initially wanted to play shortstop in college, but after he became, in his coach’s words, the team’s “ace” on the mound, that changed his mind.
Now, Musgrove wants to pitch, and he’ll get the chance to do just that with Florida State College at Jacksonville.
“I’m excited,” Musgrove said following an April 3 signing ceremony in the KHHS media center. “I’m just ready.”
Musgrove said he was interested in any school willing to give him the chance. Now that FSCJ has done that, he said also likes the fact that the school is close to home.
As a junior in 2023, Musgrove was the Indians’ leader in innings pitched at 40.1. He was one of two pitchers with a team-leading five wins (he went 5-3) and led the team with 45 strikeouts. His ERA was 2.26.
Musgrove is 4-1 this season through April 5. He has a 1.25 ERA through 28 innings and leads Keystone pitchers with 40 strikeouts.
Offensively, he currently has the fourth-highest batting average on the team at .275. He has five RBI and is first on the team in triples (2) and second in doubles (4) and walks (9).
Musgrove batted .254 as a junior with 12 RBI. He was second on the team in runs scored (20), doubles (5) and walks (16).
Keystone Head Coach Chris Roach said, “I think he could do any sport there is and anything athletically with the God-given talent that he has.”
Roach passed along a sentiment from former KHHS Head Coach Alan Mattox, who said Musgrove’s hands “are the best hands since Tony Stevens.” Stevens is a former KHHS great who graduated in 1997 and was drafted by the Minnesota Twins.
That explains why Musgrove was first wanting to play shortstop if he got a chance after high school.
Pitching is his future now. Roach said Musgrove can be “deadly” at the next level if he develops the changeup to where it works as well as his fastball and changeup.
“At that time, you’ve got trouble,” Roach said.
Roach said Musgrove hides the ball well, which Musgrove said is one of the best things he does.
What Musgrove wants to improve is his velocity.
Roach said that’ll come, adding that right now, Musgrove gets the most out of his 165-pound frame. The coach believes Musgrove can get his velocity up to 90-91 miles per hour.
“As he grows, and as they put weight on him, the pitching’s only going to get better,” Roach said.
Musgrove appears to have the kind of mentality you want in a pitcher.
“He doesn’t break,” Roach said. “I’ve never really seen him waver on the mound as far as when something’s not going right. Of course, I haven’t seen a lot of that.”
Musgrove would like the opportunity to play for a four-year school after two years at FSCJ. He’ll play for any school, but admitted his dream school is the University of Florida.
Until then, he’ll prepare to make the most of his chance at FSCJ. When asked what it’ll feel like the first time he steps onto the field for the Blue Wave, he said, “I’m going to be kind of nervous, but after a few games, when I get used to it, I’ll be fine.”
Musgrove is the second KHHS baseball player to sign with a college this year, joining Connor Guy, an outfielder who’ll play at Daytona State College.
Roach said the two players are similar.
“They’re quiet. They just work. They go about their business, and they handle it,” Roach said, adding, “For me, it’s an honor to pass another guy onto college and see what they can do. I think they both end up playing for four years somewhere.”
