1/18/25 : Spotlight - RHP Ethan Chenault

RHP Ethan Chenault (23 yrs old) was selected by the Phillies in the 18th round of the 2023 draft from the University of North Carolina -Wilmington. He started the 2024 season in Clearwater and appeared in 25 games as a reliever (36.2 IP) posting a 4.91 ERA with 53 K’s and 26 walks. Ethan was promoted to Jersey Shore on 8/13/24 and pitched in six games (6 IP) posting a 3.00 ERA with 8 K’s and 3 walks.

He is from the Lynchburg, Virginia area and attended the Miller School of Albemarle in Charlottesville where he was name first-team VISAA All-State in 2019 along with being named the conference Player of the Year. He was part of a three time state championship squad playing for head coach Billy Wagner who pitched in the major leagues for 16 seasons and is a hopeful Cooperstown Hall of Famer (this year’s inductees to be announced Tuesday) - deserving of the nod in my humble opinion.

Ethan is currently participating in the Winter High Performance (HP) Camp at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater as he’s done in the previous three HP camps before this one. The off-season conditioning training has truly benefited him as he has added more muscle to his 6’5” frame, it’s been evidenced in his fastball velocity which has also increased. The off-speed deliveries he features are a plus rated curve ball along with a cutter (learned as a delivery this past summer) that’s replaced a change-up, however that pitch is still there when needed.

Before Winter HP Camp began I asked what was he was most looking forward to in regard to returning to Clearwater for training. Ethan responded - “The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is getting back into the routine of training at the complex and being around the coaches and staff and using all of the resources.”

Now that camp has begun I have had a chance to I ask Ethan a few more questions - here’s our interaction.

When you were in high school you were part of a team (Miller School of Albemarle Mavericks) that won three straight state championships in Virginia (2017-2019) - what was that experience like?

“I was very lucky to be a part of a very good baseball program at The Miller School and being part of three state championships was a lot of fun and if it wasn’t for Covid we would’ve had a chance a fourth. Being part of a program like that makes you hold yourself to a certain standard when it comes to developing and I really enjoyed that environment. I was lucky to play with alot of really good baseball players and we have a lot of alumni that went on to play pro ball and two in the big leagues as of right now.”

Your high school coach was Billy Wagner. What learnings did you get from Coach Wagner that prepared you for collegiate and pro baseball?

“Playing for Coach Wagner was really cool and I learned a lot from him. He ran a hard nosed program that focused on getting guys prepared for the next level. He cared about the players and developing them more than state championships even though we had the talent to win multiple titles. He focused on having grit and being able to have the mental toughness to get through any situation not just in baseball but also for things that life will throw at you. Practices were ran like college practices so nothing would surprise us once we reached that level.”

During your time at UNC Wilmington you both started and relieved albeit the majority was out of the bullpen. As a pro you’ve also been a reliever to date with the ability to pitch multiple innings - how do you compare starting to relieving and how does the preparation for each differ?

“I’ve always been better at relieving than starting even back to high school. For me, relieving is more fun because you can get thrown into pressure packed situations and these situations can really impact the outcome of the game. I enjoy that and being able to get out of the situations and help the team win. My preparation as a reliever is solely focused on being consistent because you never know what night you’re gonna pitch so I try to be the same person everyday and adapt to whatever comes my way. Alot of it is just going out there and attacking hitters with your best stuff that day.”

This is your fourth High Performance Camp - what do you find most beneficial from these camps in particular and how does the winter version differ from the fall camp?

“I’ve really enjoyed the HP camps and my favorite part is just being in Florida and being around the coaches and players because the environment is very good and that always helps in development. We have every resource we need to get better within quick reach so it makes it very easy to take advantage of everything to improve ourselves. The fall camp is more focused on lifting and making changes to your body and being healthy than throwing. The winter camp is still focused on making gains in the weight room but we focus more on our mound progression and throwing in order to get ready for the season.”

You earned a promotion last season from Clearwater to Jersey Shore - please compare the different levels of competition - was there a noticeable difference in the hitters you faced?

“Getting called up to Jersey Shore was cool and I really enjoyed finishing the season there. I didn’t see a huge jump when it came to the hitters in High-A but you can tell some guys had better approaches than others. I tried not to focus on that and more on just playing my game and attacking hitters no matter who they are. Baseball is baseball and I just try to adapt as best I can.”

Which pitch do you consider to be your most dominant? I believe the cutter is a new offering?  FB velocity range?

“My curveball is definitely my go to “out pitch” and my favorite pitch to throw. I’ve been working on a cutter since July of last year and focused on it this off season to get hitters off of my fastball. My fastball is usually in the 93-96 range.”

What has stood out to you most in pro baseball? How has the Phillies program allowed you to get better as a pitcher?

“Pro baseball has been a lot of fun and the experience has been amazing with the Phillies so far. The coaches let you be yourself and try to help you become the best version of yourself on the field. They don’t try to make you something you’re not and develop both your strengths and weaknesses.”

Are you a goal setter?  If so what goals are you hoping to accomplish this season?

“I  would say I am a goal setter. My goals stay the same most of the time. My first goal is to always stay healthy and be available to pitch for the team. My second goal is to fill up the zone the best I can and control what I can control. Everything else just comes as is and you roll with whatever happens.”

I thank Ethan for taking the time to answer my inquiries and wish him the best this year and going forward - he’s a talented young man with focus and dedication along with a championship pedigree.

Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

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