NIU left-handed pitcher Zach Minor has been the ace of the staff this year for the NIU baseball team, posting a 4-0 record and 1.41 ERA. A senior, Minor had a chance to stop and chat with the Northern Star on Tuesday.

Northern Star: What is your out-pitch right now?

Zach Minor: Right now, I’d say my changeup because I try to get ahead of people with my fastball and then use my changeup as my strikeout pitch or groundball pitch.

NS: Last season in batting practice, you were sending some balls to the warning track and the wall. Do you like to think you have a little pop left in that bat?

ZM: I’d like to think that. I don’t know if it’s true or not.

NS: There’s probably a pretty good chance you’ll get drafted. Where would you like to play?

ZM: For the Chicago Cubs, and if not that, then for the Arizona Diamondbacks so I could play somewhere warm if I couldn’t play in Chicago. The Cubs have been my favorite team. It’s close to home, and people could come out and watch me.

NS: Mark Prior is out until at least May. Can the Cubs win the World Series with him out for two or three months?

ZM: I think so. They have four quality starters, and their hitting is better, so I would think so.

NS: Who has the best chance to win the World Series?

ZM: Probably the Yankees. As long as their lineup stays healthy, no one can hit with them.

NS: What can NIU accomplish this year, and what has been your best memory at NIU?

ZM: I think we can win the MAC tournament and go to regionals and maybe surprise some people. So far the biggest accomplishment has been last year -winning 34 games and going to the MAC tournament for the first time in my four years. Hopefully this year, we can be a little bit better than that.

NS: If you could compare yourself to one pitcher in the major leagues, who would it be?

ZM: That’s tough to say because I throw weird, but I don’t throw very hard. I throw like Randy Johnson, but I’m more of a Tom Glavine-type pitcher.

NS: What has been the reason for such success this year?

ZM: I’ve still been walking people, just not as much. When I’ve gotten in jams, I’ve made good pitches for the most part, and we’ve been scoring a lot of runs when I’m pitching. It’s always easier when you’re up 7-0 early.

NS: What’s the biggest key for any pitcher?

ZM: I’d say throw strikes because if you walk two or three guys, next thing you know there’s a couple runs on the board and that’s what’s hurt you.