JONESBORO, Ark. -- Tucked away in a Washington state training facility, Brandon Stuckenschneider stepped into the bullpen. Fiercely flinging several baseballs per day over the previous two months, he was ready to unleash fury in his final session and head back to Jonesboro.
On the last pitch of the summer workout, he gathered himself, raised his right leg and hurled the ball.
As the ball left his fingertips, his shoulder went with it. His arm drooped awkwardly. Subsequently, his dislodged shoulder wreaked havoc. It scraped a large amount of cartilage in the socket. His labrum tore simultaneously. As his shoulder rooted back into its socket, the bone smacked the socket, resulting in a significant bone bruise.
Adrenaline subsided the pain. However, Stuckenschneider couldn't raise his arm and soreness lasted for several days.
The official diagnosis: a Bankart lesion along with a Hill Sachs lesion.
Described as "data-driven baseball performance training", Driveline Baseball -- located in Kent, Washington -- is used by several collegiate teams and players. Stuckenschneider trained during the 2017 offseason at the facility, performing maximum velocity workouts. Essentially, the program asks you to throw the ball at your maximum limit. Afterward, you analyze the results to improve your speed and control.
"I had thrown 30 pitches at that point," he said reflecting on his last workout. "I don't know if (the injury) was fatigue because we threw at max velocity or something else."
Stuckenschneider went to Arkansas State after a stellar high school career. For the Mules, he was a three-time first-team All-Conference and four-time first-team All-District. In 2015, he was named the Southeast Missouri Conference Player of the Year.
Despite his impressive résumé, he was asked to redshirt his true freshman season.
He hesitantly accepted -- though he's now grateful for its benefits.
"Toward the fall. I wasn't quite ready," he admits. "However, I've seen other people in the past that had pitched 5 innings all year. So how does that help you?
"They ultimately let it be my choice and I said, 'Yeah I'll take it.' I think it worked out really well for me. I ended up having a good year, last year."
Poplar Bluff baseball coach Steve Edwards didn't expect anything less from his former player, who he describes as, "Not just an amazing athlete, but an amazing person."
"Brandon showed that adversity is going to hit you in the face sometimes," Edwards continued. "But, he's all in. He's stayed true to his core values and at the same time receiving a great education and he's a part of a great (baseball) program."
Stuckenschneider absorbed several things during the 2016 season, most notably off the field. He found himself emphasizing trivial things his freshman year. As the season progressed, he analyzed how his teammates carried themselves on and off the diamond.
"You try to prove yourself and sometimes you try a little too much," he conceded. "Once I figured out what mentality I needed, that's when I started doing well last year."
That mentality served him well as he stepped into a prominent role for the Red Wolves during his redshirt freshman season in 2017. Stuckenschneider was a top three reliever for the team -- the top lefty as well -- making 20 appearances along with one start. He finished the season with a 3.69 ERA and 1-0 record while striking out 21 batters and holding opposing players to a .262 average.
He made significant strides throughout the year. The first appearance of his collegiate career was a nerve-wracking experience, not only for him, but his coaches as well. He found a groove by his second appearance and shoved anyway any doubts he held in his mind.
"I went from pitching against a lower level squad to pitching at Ole Miss in two days," he said. "Once I pitched (at Ole Miss), I pitched pretty well for the most part. There were errors and stuff I had to clean up. But once I played in that game, I was like, 'Oh, I can pitch against anyone'."
The 6-foot-4 lefty saved his best performance for late in the season.
In the Sun Belt Conference Tournament against South Alabama, the Red Wolves starter faltered early. Stuckenschneider was called in from the bullpen in the first inning. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, yielding a single run and keeping Arkansas State in the game. The team ended up losing 4-2, but Stuckenschneider and his coaching staff left with high hopes for his follow-up season.
"Our closer graduated and we always need starters, so I thought I could be a starter or pitch toward the back end again. I could've been a big part of the year."
Then in August 2017, his season ended. Not with a gutty starting performance in Arkansas, but a dangling, decimated shoulder in Washington.
Stuckenschneider and his coaches have applied for a medical redshirt, which would effectively make Stuckenschneider a redshirt-sophomore during his fourth year in college, and are currently awaiting a response from the NCAA.
This potential redshirt, however, brings forth internal frustration and disappointment.
"Having the second redshirt and not being able to play, that realization is worse than the first redshirt that I had because there is nothing I can do about it," he said. "You never think about getting hurt, especially long-term hurt with a 12 month recovery. After training for two months and having a good offseason, it was tough."
The road to recovery has been exhausting at times. Surgery on his shoulder occurred prior to Thanksgiving break. He started the throwing portion of his rehab program toward the beginning of March, focusing heavily on stretches that regain his flexibility and range of motion.
The current five-month process features monotonous days filled with remedial tasks that feel insignificant, despite the steady progress. Stuckenschneider may not fully regain mobility in his shoulder due to scar tissue buildup, but he isn't concerned with the odds.
"The outlook is difficult because there haven't been many injuries like mine, but hey, someone has to be the first to come back from something."
Throughout this tenuous process, one constant has remained in Stuckenschneider's life: family, especially his parents.
"They've been unbelievably supportive and my rocks from start to finish throughout this entire process. There's no way I'd be where I am today without them helping and supporting me throughout my ups and downs."
What will it feel like when he finally trods to the mound at Kell Field and once again flings that first pitch?
"Euphoria," he laughs. "When I get back out there that year of rehab will have paid off."