Riley Quick's Road Back: Alabama Pitcher Envisions Big Season with Return to Mound

At first, Riley Quick thought the discomfort in his elbow could be chalked up to building himself back up for a starter's workload.

In December of 2023, the Alabama pitcher began to notice something was off, with lingering pain in his arm that he described as strange. After spending the preceding spring as a reliever with two saves during his freshman season, he earned a spot in the weekend rotation for the 2024 campaign.

On Feb. 17, 2024, he took the ball for game two of the opening series under head coach Rob Vaughn against Manhattan. He went three innings, put up five strikeouts and was credited with the win, but his arm gave out on him in the game.

"I honestly felt pretty good, and I got out there, and I just threw, and it kind of just progressively got worse throughout the innings," Quick said. "In the third inning, I felt like, a pull, kind of. Like a stretch in my arm, like a pop, pull deal. I was like, 'Dang, that wasn't good.'"

He went into the training room and couldn't move his arm. Season-ending Tommy John surgery ensued. Quick's focus turned to rehab, an approach that he said consisted of taking it day by day, not overextending and doing what his sheet said daily. He was pleased with how he only focused on what he could control and not trying to do too much.

The big right-hander stayed involved with his teammates even though pitching was temporarily on hold. A frequent sight in the dugout and in team celebrations, Quick's passion and competitive spirit remained present. Vaughn, now in his second season, subsequently had to adapt to a new role in addition to his head-coaching duties.

"I was his get-back coach last year," Vaughn said with a laugh on Jan. 24. "I [was] trying to run the offense and pull Q back in the dugout. That's part of what makes him who he is... We want these kids to be themselves. I don't want robots. I don't want that... One thing Riley brings is energy. Competitiveness. Emotion."

"When that's channeled the right way, it's awesome, and it makes him a weapon."Rob Vaughn

A large part of that competitiveness comes from being the younger brother of former Crimson Tide football player Pierce Quick, an offensive lineman in Tuscaloosa from 2019-21. The exact percentage of it that Riley Quick said can be attributed to this specific aspect was a whopping 95 percent.

"My big brother's done a lot for me," Riley Quick said. "He's probably one of the main reasons of why I am where I am today as well. It's been awesome growing up with a guy like him, always pushing me to be my best, kind of showing me the ropes in a way. I played baseball cause he played baseball... I wanted to be better than him, but he was really good, so it was tough. It definitely made me a better person today, for sure."

That competitive drive and spirit helped Quick power through one of the toughest journeys a pitcher can embark on. The difficulties, both physical and mental, of recuperating from Tommy John are immense. The manner in which the Trussville, Ala., native took those difficulties on did not escape the notice of his teammates.

"I've been around a bunch of dudes who've had to come back from Tommy John surgeries in my time in college. I've never seen someone come back this quick. He's been driven. He's on top of his work here at the field and on top of his work at home, bringing stuff home from the training room and doing all that. I'm super excited to watch what he can do."Alabama closer Carson Ozmer

On Feb. 15, 364 days removed from his only start of a lost 2024 season, Quick finally got to toe the rubber again in a regular season game. Against the Bradley Braves with a series-clinching win at stake, he pitched three shutout innings and got what was his second victory in as many appearances.

"When you get this game, that means so much, and as hard as these kids work, when you get it taken away from you, it's tough," Vaughn said postgame. "He had to battle through that last year, and grind through that, and he's done nothing but work his tail off. We're very fortunate that he's where he's at right now."

Where Quick is today would look vastly different without his teammates. He never considered just sitting idly on the bench last year, seeking instead to reciprocate the support his team showed in any way that he could.

"I really appreciate them. They've honestly done a lot more than they know. Being with them last year, it helped me out a lot. Just having those guys to lean on, especially when I was down sometimes, and them pulling me back up."Riley Quick

With plus stuff and top-end velocity, Quick has been waiting to test himself against the SEC. Now that he's healthy, and throwing pain-free, he said he has matured and improved his feel for the game. It's slower to him now, he added, and he and his teammates have their sights set on a major goal Vaughn spoke about a number of times last season.

"He's [Vaughn] coming. He's gonna be a force... He's dialed in," Quick said. "[We're] definitely trying to break down the gates of Omaha. First team since 1999. That's a big goal of ours, and that's one thing we've always been working towards... It's gonna be a battle when you come in here and play us, and it's gonna be a battle when we play you at your place."

The Crimson Tide began its 2025 season with a three-game home sweep of Bradley, aided by Quick's performance in a Saturday game it eventually won 19-3. The coaching staff has an eye on smartly guiding the remainder of the redshirt sophomore's recovery, with the hope being that he is ready to be fully unleashed in March when the gauntlet of league play starts.

Vaughn anticipates that this spring will be Quick's last pitching in an Alabama uniform considering his professional prospects, namely the potential to be a coveted arm in this summer's MLB Draft. Even if it is, Quick still has the opportunity this year to work as a front-of-rotation starter in college baseball's best conference and do some special things to cap off his journey back to the bump.