Sean Jenkins: ECU’s 17-Year-Old Sensation Ready to Make His Mark

Written by: Trey Scott

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The hype surrounding Sean Jenkins is as real as his 96-mph fastball.

At just 17 years old, the right-handed pitcher bypassed his senior year of high school to join East Carolina University’s baseball program, an unprecedented move under head coach Cliff Godwin. And as the Pirates open their 2025 season this weekend against George Mason, all eyes will be on the prodigy from Hickory, North Carolina, who is set to make his collegiate debut Saturday.

A 6-foot-3, 215-pound force on the mound, Jenkins arrives at ECU with a résumé that rivals some of the nation’s best prospects. Pitching for Fred T. Foard High School, he dominated with a 14-2 record, a 1.19 ERA, and an eye-popping 260 strikeouts across 129 innings. His pinpoint control was just as impressive—walking only 25 of the 476 batters he faced while allowing just two home runs. Those numbers helped him lead his team to conference championships in both 2022 and 2024, solidifying his reputation as one of the best high school arms in the country.

His talents didn’t go unnoticed. Baseball America ranked Jenkins No. 4 on its National Top 25 Incoming Freshman List, while Perfect Game placed him at No. 65 overall. But instead of waiting for his high school graduation, Jenkins made the bold decision to accelerate his development and join ECU early—a move that Godwin believes saved the Pirates from losing him to professional baseball altogether.

“This is the first time we’ve ever had someone graduate early,” Godwin said at media day. “Sean is a special talent. Thank God he wanted to be part of our program now because if he had waited, we wouldn’t have seen him—he would’ve been in professional baseball. I’ve never been around a 17-year-old baseball player like him. Take away the talent—it’s the maturity, the work ethic, the want to win, the want to be a great teammate.”

Jenkins’ work ethic has already earned him the respect of his teammates. In the fall, his peers voted him the hardest-working pitcher on the team, a significant honor considering the talent ECU has on the mound. Sophomore pitcher Ethan Norby, who works closely with Jenkins, has seen his dedication firsthand.

“We work out together a lot, we do our stretch routine work, we’re catch-play partners,” Norby said. “Watching him go about his work so far has been pretty impressive. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do this year.”

Senior pitcher Jake Hunter, a veteran presence in the clubhouse, echoed that sentiment.

“As a 17-year-old coming in, I knew what I was doing at 17, and it’s not what he is doing,” Hunter said. “Seeing him up here every night, building a relationship with him has been fun. I’ve been blessed to be around Trey Yesavage for three years, and Sean is right there with him. Seeing the growth has been pretty awesome.”

ECU pitching coach Austin Knight has been equally impressed, not just by Jenkins’ raw ability but by his advanced mindset.

“Sean is an awesome kid—he wants to be great. He eats, sleeps, thinks, breathes baseball,” Knight said. “He is very self-aware, very self-reflective. He understands what makes him good, but he also understands the bigger picture of how he can get better. The best quality about Sean is his ability to apply coaching quickly. If we’re working in the bullpen and see something, he can make adjustments fast and apply them during the game.”

Beyond the electric fastball that hit 96 mph during fall workouts, Jenkins also possesses a devastating 79-81 mph curveball, a pitch that has proven to be a nightmare for hitters. Combined with his maturity, command, and relentless drive, the potential is limitless for ECU’s newest pitching phenom.

For Godwin, landing Jenkins early was a major win for the Pirates. But it wasn’t a hard sell once the opportunity was presented.

“With Sean, once we presented it to him, he was pretty quickly all in on doing this,” Godwin said.

Now, the waiting is over. The Pirates’ 2025 season is here, and Jenkins is set to take the mound on Saturday. While the expectations are sky-high, Knight put it best when discussing what comes next for his young ace:

“The only way these guys become dudes is by going out there and proving that they can do it.”

For ECU, Sean Jenkins is about to get that chance.