How Logan Hofmann defied odds and bet on himself to become Pirates' 5th-round pick

Logan Hofmann never wanted to be known as the short pitcher from the small town, but as a 5-foot-9 right-hander who was raised in Muenster, Saskatchewan (population: 430), he proudly owns it.

Well, mostly.

“I’m listed at 5-10,” Hofmann said, “because it looks a little better on the roster.”

His hometown is so small, he said, he can walk from his house to the baseball diamond in a minute. That helped to alleviate any concerns over where he should stage the celebration to sign his contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The contract arrived by mail, and he signed it Saturday.

“I really want to sign it at the ball diamond or just at home with friends and family around,” he said. “I’m going to stick to my roots, where everything happened.

“That would have been really cool to sign at PNC Park but, considering the circumstances, I’m just happy to be drafted by the Pirates and get the opportunity. With everything going on, signing in my hometown will be really special, as well.”

“He just keeps getting better.”

High praise for @lhofmann11. pic.twitter.com/5pCEw2fk1L

— Pirates (@Pirates) June 14, 2020

When the Pirates selected Hofmann in the fifth round (No. 138 overall) on June 11, making him the highest-selected player in Saskatchewan history, it became one of the feel-good stories of the MLB Draft. Yes, he was chosen, in part, because he agreed to sign for below the slot bonus of $402,000, but Hofmann has made a habit of defying conventional wisdom and overcoming the odds.

“He’s got an interesting mix of pitches, with a high-spin fastball that he commands really well and a really good breaking ball,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “He’s a competitor. He just keeps getting better, so we’re excited to add a guy like Logan Hofmann.”

Primarily a catcher who also pitched in high school, Hofmann had no Division I offers and chose Colby Community College because its Kansas plains reminded him of western Canada. That there were 16 Canadian players on the team made him feel right at home.

@RadioClayton spoke with @lhofmann11 about being selected in the 5th round of the #MLBDraft by the Pittsburgh Pirates!

The guys talked Pirates, college, Canadian and Saskatchewan baseball. Congrats Logan!@baseballcanada @BaseballSask @NSUDemonshttps://t.co/925r6LoNX7

— Bat Flips & Maple Dips Podcast (@BFMDpodcast) June 12, 2020

Colby pitching coach Joshua Oller remembers Hofmann throwing a fastball in the upper 80s but showing “very, very good command,” with two plus-breaking pitches — a curveball and a slider — he could throw for strikes. What impressed Oller most, however, was Hofmann’s attitude, composure and work ethic.

“It was a no-brainer to bring him down, even though he was an undersized pick,” Oller said. “He actually came to Colby as a pitcher-slash-catcher. After watching him throw his first bullpen, we were like, ‘We don’t really care about you as a catcher anymore.’ ”

As a freshman, Hofmann went 8-3 with a 4.94 ERA, but what stood out was his 102 strikeouts and 24 walks in 85 2/3 innings. He went 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA as a sophomore, with 128 strikeouts and 21 walks in 89 2/3 innings. His 230 career strikeouts set a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference record.

What stood out to Oller is how Hofmann never wanted to leave the weight room or the field, hanging around to shag fly balls and being ready to come out of the bullpen a day after he pitched. Just the way Hofmann carried himself was different than the other teenagers at the junior college.

“His presence on the mound, you could just feel the confidence that he had in himself,” Oller said. “It’s not a cocky or selfish thing. It’s simple. He knows he’s put in the work, and has worked hard to do it. He’s given himself a chance to be successful. His whole life, everybody has always told him what he can and can’t do. He’s like, ‘You can tell me what you want, but I’m going to do what I want anyways.’ That’s just the way he is.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a big leaguer, just because of sheer tenacity. Logan is a kid that’s not afraid to take a chance on himself, even if other people don’t think it’s the right thing to do.”

I’ll never forget the first time I faced Hofmann, hit a laser off his shin and thought I hurt him. Shakes it off and strikes out the side and I walk back to the dugout like “wow this kid is gonna be good” Congrats, kid @lhofmann11 https://t.co/ditJJVu4Iu

— Jason Evans (@Sammy_5_) June 12, 2020

Oller alerted the coaches at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., where he and his younger brother Adam — a 20th-round pick by the Pirates in 2016 — had pitched. The Demons offered Hofmann a scholarship, but he soon had a difficult decision to make. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Hofmann in the 35th round (No. 1,055), and he had to weigh whether to sign or follow his dream of playing Division I baseball.

“It was a tough decision because things can go wrong. You can get hurt, have a bad season,” Hofmann said. “I had to bet on myself, put the work in and hope good things would happen this year.”

How gutsy is it to get drafted into the MLB in 2019, but decide NOT to sign? That's what Logan Hofmann (@lhofmann11) did. The pitcher bet on himself & it paid off.

How the @MuensterSox product became #SK's highest ever #MLB draft pick last week @NSUDemonshttps://t.co/y74DtVhbgY

— Claire Hanna (@clahanna) June 23, 2020

While Hofmann negotiated with the Cardinals, he pitched in the Cape Cod League against the nation’s top college players. In 10 games for Falmouth, mostly as a reliever, he was 3-0 with a 3.37 ERA and had 22 strikeouts and allowed seven walks to earn All-Star honors.

That’s where Hofmann caught the attention of the Pirates. They used their top draft pick on the shortstop who hit a home run off him in the semifinals, Nick Gonzales, and selected Hofmann’s Falmouth teammate, pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski, with the No. 31 pick.

“I think he has the best stuff of any college pitcher I’ve seen,” Hofmann said of Mlodzinski, a right-hander from South Carolina. “I was playing catch with him on first day of practice, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God.’ My hand was completely red after we were done. Everything was moving in different directions. That’s something I was definitely happy about, knowing a couple guys I was drafted with.”

What convinced the Pirates, thanks to scouting supervisor Phil Huttmann, was how Hofmann performed at Northwestern State. He developed a changeup that has become an out-pitch and didn’t allow an earned run in 28 innings this spring. That included a seven-inning shutout against Wichita State and an eight-inning shutout against Eastern Illinois. Hofmann finished the shortened season with a 4-0 record, with 38 strikeouts and only five walks.

You want to talk about a season?!? How about @NSUDemonsBSB's Logan Hofmann (a Colby CC Transfer): @lhofmann11 finished the 2020 season 4-0, 0.00 ERA, 28 IP, 14 H, 5 BB, 38 SO, .141 OPP AVG. #JUCORoute

See More IMPACT JUCO Transfers from the 2020 Season: https://t.co/OjOo1RS63U pic.twitter.com/NbDFIiReJz

— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) May 26, 2020

“Honestly, after our season I thought it was a 50-50 chance I’d get drafted,” Hofmann said. “My goal was to be a top-10 rounder this year. I thought I had a shot. When it was cut to five (rounds), I was disappointed. If I didn’t get drafted, I did absolutely everything in my power to put myself in position.”

When the Pirates picked him in the final round, Hofmann was thrilled. The short pitcher from the small town saw his big dreams come true.

“It was probably the best moment of my life,” Hofmann said. “Something I always wanted to do was play in the MLB, and this is one step closer to that goal. I bet on myself, and I guess it paid off.”