Top prospect shows baseball moxie

PALMER — When Blake Newalu stepped into the batter’s box at Hermon Brothers Field as a member of the Mat-Su Miners for the first time on Saturday he was still months away from his college debut.

But the University of San Diego incoming freshman didn’t fold under the pressure of playing with, and against, seasoned veterans of the college game.

Newalu, the youngster of the Mat-Su lineup, showed his baseball experience is beyond his years, reaching on a bunt in the bottom of the third inning to collect the Miners’ first hit of the season.

As the Miners took the field for practice on Friday, the final work-out before Saturday’s season-opener against the Bears of California, Newalu said he didn’t expect to become riddled with nervousness when he took the field for the first time playing for a top team in one of the most noteworthy collegiate summer developmental baseball leagues the country has to offer.

“There are no nerves at all,” Newalu said. “I’ve been in big spots all my life.”

Newalu, who graduated from Henry County High School in McDonough, Ga., just two weeks ago, is no stranger to playing high-profile competition.

Virtually bred to play baseball, Newalu is a product of one of the top amateur programs on the East Coast, East Cobb Baseball.

“East Cobb’s a baseball factory,” Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher said of the talent-laden travel squad that hits tournaments across the country.

Newalu, the prize of San Diego’s 2008 recruiting class, is the veteran of an East Cobb program that has produced a number of notable Major Leaguers, such as Atlanta outfielder Jeff Francoeur, Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew and Florida outfielder Jeremy Hermida.

Newalu played high school baseball with Jason Heyword, a player selected by Atlanta with the 14th pick of the 2007 Major League Baseball first-year player draft.

He played against Tim Beckham, the top pick in the 2008 MLB draft, at the prep level and faced Florida State catcher Buster Posey, the fifth-overall pick, in a high school state championship game.

While his high school foes are preparing for the professional baseball careers now, Newalu — a future pro prospect — is focused on his shot to play in the Alaska Baseball League.

“They have to go perform in the minor leagues, I get to come here and perform in this prestigious league,” Newalu said.

Other than local high school players added to the Mat-Su roster, Newalu is only the second prep player in recent memory — joining former Mat-Su catcher Jay Ponciano — to take the field for the Miners, before their college debut.

Mat-Su head coach Conor Bird said there could be a movement toward sending top prospects to leagues such as the ABL prior to their freshman season.

“It’s interesting; I’m not sure if it’s a trend,” Bird said. “It’s something you might see more of in the future, more high-profile, top high school kids on different rosters.”

Initially, Christopher admitted he was a bit reluctant to add a high school player to the roster. But Newalu’s baseball resume spoke for itself.

“Anyone going to San Diego has got to have something,” Christopher said referring to a Toreros program that produced Brian Matusz, the third-overall pick and top pitcher selected in the 2008 MLB draft.

Newalu said the San Diego coaching staff urged him to play in the ABL.

“When I signed at USD, my coach wanted me to get a lot of at-bats this summer against top-level pitching,” Newalu said. “He said the Alaska League was second-to-none for that. He sent me up here, so I’m hoping to face a lot of good pitching.”

Newalu made his first start at third base, but could see action at several positions this summer.

“I’d love to play shortstop, but right now it’s more about at-bats,” Newalu said. “I’m going to play some third, short, second, maybe some outfield.”

Regardless of where he plays, Newalu is using a stint in the ABL to help him achieve his ultimate goal.

“The Major Leagues,” Newalu said. “I want to be a consistent Major Leaguer. I don’t want to come up for three days and be sent right down. I want to be there for a long time.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.