Success on the gridiron and the diamond
The third of my series of stories highlighting some of the best multi-sport athletes in the state focuses on some of the best baseball talents from the Class of 2020 who also should be significant contributors to football programs across…
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Continue ReadingThe third of my series of stories highlighting some of the best multi-sport athletes in the state focuses on some of the best baseball talents from the Class of 2020 who also should be significant contributors to football programs across the state this fall. Baseball statistics and rankings proved to be harder for me to find than basketball or wrestling, but I hope I highlighted a solid list of athletes.
Jack Steil Rocori QB, LB/SS
Boston Merila photo from MaxPreps.com
Steil is a dual-threat quarterback for the Spartans who also spends time at linebacker. Last spring, Steil helped the baseball team reach the state championship game where they would fall to Mahtomedi. Earlier this fall, the pitcher and infielder committed to the Nebraska baseball program.
Boston Merila STMA LB/INF
As an infielder, during the regular season, Merila hit .429 with two home runs with 22 runs batted in. In the field – according to prepbaseballreport.com – Merila has good feet and has sure hands to make all the routine plays. On the football field, he is a hard-hitting linebacker.
Aaron Severson Columbia Heights QB, SS/P
Severson finished the regular season with a .444 batting average with twelve RBIs, eight extra-base hits and nine stolen bases. He also won five games on the mound with a 1.53 ERA. As the starting quarterback for the Hylanders – Severson completed 50 percent of his passes, threw for nearly a thousand yards with 14 touchdown passes against just five interceptions.
Thomas Van Culin Monticello WR, FS/P, OF
Van Culin finished the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record with a 1.17 ERA and a strikeout per inning. As a football player, he is a deep threat in the Magic’s offense who uses good speed to get behind defenses. He also has excellent hands and runs good routes underneath. A two-way player, Van Culin closes well from his safety position both defending the pass and coming up strong against the run.
Mason Flick Proctor LB/P, INF
Along with playing in the infield with a batting average above .400 most of the season for the Rails, during the regular season, Flick finished with a record of 4-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 34 strikeouts on the mound. On the football field, he manned a linebacker spot on the Rails defense and showed good lateral movement – especially defending the pass.
Tommy Bazzarre Shakopee LB/C
Bazzarre hit .270 during the regular season and threw out thirty-five percent of base stealers. He also had a fielding percentage of nearly ninety-seven percent. A linebacker for the Sabers’ football team, he twice recorded double-digit tackles – including twenty tackles against Edina.
Isaac Baker photo from Elite Sports Advising
Isaac Becker Columbia Heights LB, TE/C
Becker has been starting on the varsity baseball team since his freshman season. As a freshman, he also made the All-Area team. This season he hit .283 with a home run and eight stolen bases. On the football team, he is set to be a three-year starter. A two-way player on the gridiron, he is both a physical linebacker and sure-handed tight end.
Russell Corrigan Hutchinson TE, DL/P, 1B
A left-handed pitcher and first baseman on the diamond, Corrigan has helped Hutch to a 15-3 record (as of 5/27/19) on the diamond. A three-sport athlete who featured in the basketball version of this series of stories, Corrigan is a mauler of a blocking tight end who can also catch the ball and create havoc on the defensive line.
Jordan Sagedahl BOLD QB/C
On the diamond, as a sophomore, Sagedahl hit over .400 and had an ERA under one. This season, the Warriors baseball team finished the regular season with a 13-5 record with Sagedahl again being a central part of the team. On the football field, he is a dual-threat quarterback who had over 1600 yards of total offense as a junior.
Trey Steinbach Marshal LB, TE/P, 1B
A two-way player on the football field, Steinbach stars both at linebacker and tight end. He has received invites from – among others, North Dakota State and Iowa. As a baseball player, he is a pitcher, first baseman and one of the top hitters on the Tigers’ baseball team.