Jenks Pitcher Headed To Under Armour All-America Game

Two weeks ago, Thomas Hatch's dad sent him a text message but the junior pitcher didn't get it right away. He was in the middle of a game. After Jenks recorded the final out, Hatch grabbed his cell phone.

And immediately started beaming.

"I couldn't believe it," the Trojan ace said. "I had to keep quiet for a little bit until it was officially announced but it was really exciting."

Hatch is one of 36 high school players from all over the country that have been selected to play in the 2012 Under Armour All-American baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. He'll be facing some of the top talent that could make its way onto major league rosters in the next few years.

"It was a lot of fun to give him the news and see his reaction," said former pro ballplayer and current Jenks head coach Dennis Keeley.

"He has tremendous ability. He has a plus fastball and his secondary pitches are very good."

Hatch has been catching eyes with his performances on the mound. Opponents know him. His teammates love him. His fastball is consistently in the 91-93 mile per hour range and his off-speed pitches are deadly as well.

He has faced good competition here at home but is looking forward to seeing how he stacks up against the top prep players in one of the most famous venues in sports.

He says his parents deserve a lot of the credit for his success.

"All of the travel, everything, all they paid for," he said. "All of the dedication, it's for this."

His teammates have seen his progression into a dominant pitcher firsthand.

"His velocity," junior Grant Maxey said when asked about Hatch's best weapon. "He also has a lot of movement on his ball and it's hard to hit.

"He's been really good for us for far and I just expect big things from him."

His arm has him drawing comparisons with rare company. Former Green Country high school stars Dylan Bundy (Owasso) and Archie Bradley (Broken Arrow) were drafted in the first round of April's Major League Baseball draft. Hatch still has a year left in high school but his talent is catching scout's attention.

"You have to have a lot going for you and catch a few breaks and just be extremely special to go as high as some of the recent players," Keeley said. "But, he definitely is in that category."

Hatch understands what he needs to do.

"Sitting and watching Bundy and Bradley last year," he said. "Seeing what they were doing kind of helps me see what I need to do to get to (that level)."

The All-America game, set for Aug. 18, is the perfect opportunity for Hatch to showcase himself. The game will air nationally on the MLB Network. For many of the players it will be their first time playing in a major league stadium.

Even for Hatch, a St. Louis Cardinals fan, getting to pitch at Wrigley Field is a life-changing event.

"It's a great park. It's been around for over 100 years," he said with a smile. "You dream of playing in a big league park like that."

Jenks is 10-7 this season and is hosting the Under Armour - DeMarini Classic this weekend.