14 months after ICU stay, Whitney sophomore Chase Cotton returns to game action

After 14 months away from competitive baseball following a serious medical scare, Whitney High School sophomore pitcher Chase Cotton finally returned to game action this week with the Lincoln Potters. Cotton, who suffered a blood clot in his shoulder and underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), made his debut against college-level competition after months of rehab, physical therapy and strength training. The moment was one he had been waiting on for more than a year. Cotton was limited to just two innings in his first outing, but set the Potters up nicely allowing just one run in Saturday night's 13-4 victory over the Novato Knicks. "I felt great," Cotton said. "I had to control myself a bit, but definitely really excited to get back out there for the first time." ""He didn't look like a high school kid out there at all," said Potters manager Eli Garcia. "He definitely blended in. A lot of the players had no idea he was 16 years old, and when I told them that, they were like, 'What the heck?' But yeah, he definitely looked the part, for sure." The highly regarded Whitney sophomore became one of the few high school underclassmen to suit up for Lincoln while still in high school, joining an impressive group that includes current MLB catcher Daniel Susac as well as current Potters in LSU-bound Masen Belding and Arizona commit Ayden Deome. "It's great company to be in," Cotton said. "The future is definitely bright for Chase. I know he had some nerves going on today, but from what I've seen, he's got really, really good stuff," said Garcia. "I definitely liked what I saw from that aspect. I know he's going to learn a lot from this outing, he's going to get a lot better, and I'm super excited to see where he goes from here." He said veteran players helped calm his nerves before taking the mound. "A lot of things they've been saying is first-pitch strike, that's really important," Cotton said. "Just be controlled, be calm and get ahead." His road back to baseball was anything but simple. Cotton explained that a combination of his rib and clavicle structure caused a vein near his shoulder to become compressed whenever his arm went above his head. "Anytime my arm went above my head, it would pinch on my vein," Cotton said. "It was a lot of overhead use, and I was also not big enough for how hard I was throwing." A few days after throwing in the Boras Classic his freshman year, Cotton woke up with alarming symptoms. He says he noticed his right arm was sore when he woke up and then he noticed that it was nearly twice the size of his left arm. Cotton was rushed to the emergency room and eventually spent five days in the ICU while doctors ran tests and scans. "I was just thinking of the worst," Cotton said. "It was crazy." Despite the frightening diagnosis, Cotton said his mindset never changed. "I was ready to get back on the field right away," he said. "I don't think it's even fully hit me yet." Since his injury and during his rehab, Cotton has focused heavily on rebuilding strength. He says that he's added roughly 25 pounds during recovery while working through rehab with physical therapists. "It's been pretty smooth sailing," he said. "I get a little tight sometimes, but I just go to PT and loosen back up." Unable to play during Whitney's season, Cotton still attended games regularly to support his teammates. "Seeing them made me feel a little sad sometimes, but it made me want to get back on the field even more," he said. Now healthy again, Cotton hopes the experience of facing college hitters this summer will accelerate his development heading into his junior season. He knows the competition will be a step up, but he is ready to live up to the challenge and showcase his skills on a whole new level. "Iron sharpens iron," Cotton said. "I love facing people that are better than me. It just makes me better." And after more than a year away from competition, Cotton believes he's ready for a strong return at Whitney next season as well. "I feel excited," he said. "I feel like I'm going to come out hot."