In the annals of Max Scherzer’s illustrious Major League career, it’s easy to overlook the fact that he once stood as a promising prospect within the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

The year was 2006 when the Diamondbacks selected Scherzer with the 11th overall pick, plucking him from the University of Missouri. The ascent from prospect to Major League player was swift, as Scherzer’s call-up arrived in under two seasons. The burgeoning right-hander stepped onto the mound for seven starts and made a total of 16 appearances in 2008.

A 0-4 showing marked his initial record. In the subsequent year, Scherzer’s first full Major League season, he finished with a 9-11 record.

Fast-forward to the present day, and Scherzer boasts an impressive collection of accolades, including three Cy Young Awards, a World Series championship, and the imminent promise of a Hall-of-Fame induction upon the culmination of his remarkable career.

But could anyone have foreseen this trajectory after his formative seasons with the Diamondbacks? While the prospect of future awards, championship rings, 211 career victories, and a staggering 3,323 strikeouts (ranking 12th all-time) might have seemed remote, there were indicators of Scherzer’s potential, even in those early days.

But Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, then the San Francisco Giants skipper, knew one thing after facing Scherzer for two seasons.

“I knew what great stuff he had,” Bochy recalls. “Like any young player, he had some wildness. But the stuff, man, it was electric.”

Scherzer’s tenure with the Diamondbacks proved relatively short-lived. At the conclusion of the 2009 season, a three-team trade reshaped his path. Scherzer, alongside Daniel Schlereth, Phil Coke, and Austin Jackson, found himself heading to the Detroit Tigers as part of a three-way arrangement. In exchange, Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson moved to the Diamondbacks, while Curtis Granderson became a New York Yankee.

The transition proved fruitful for Scherzer, as he secured his inaugural Cy Young Award in 2013 while forming a formidable rotation alongside Justin Verlander.

What distinguishes Scherzer’s present-day prowess from his earlier days is a pair of attributes that, in the eyes of Bochy, define elite players: intensity and focus. These qualities shine especially when the going gets tough. This was evident when Scherzer encountered adversity, conceding three runs in his initial inning with the Texas Rangers. Nonetheless, he emerged victorious in Thursday’s contest.

“When things don’t go right that’s when you find out about yourself,” Bochy said.

“In our game, you’ve got to have talent. You’ve got to have that mental toughness to deal with those things. He has what I think separates those (elite) guys from the good guys.”