DiFilippo creates intersquad scrimmage as MLB scouts descend upon Mahomet-Seymour to watch Wolters
By FRED KRONER
Mahomet-Seymour Baseball
Nic DiFilippo called it “creating scheduling.”
His Mahomet-Seymour baseball team had a home game scheduled for Monday (May 1). The umpires were hired.
It was senior Blake Wolters’ turn in the pitching rotation, which meant a full assemblage of major league scouts would descend upon the Bulldogs’ ball diamond.
There was just one problem, and it wasn’t the weather.
The opposing school canceled.
“We were trying to find a game, but we couldn’t find anyone,” DiFilippo said. “Other teams are at the point they have (conference) makeups. Trying to find a game is difficult.”
DiFilippo looked at his varsity roster and realized he could solve the issue himself.
He has an 18-member varsity team, which can be divided nicely into two nine-player teams.
“It was probably the best intersquad scrimmage any team has ever had,” DiFilippo said.
Major league scouts weren’t at all disappointed.
“They like (high school) games on Mondays and Tuesdays because there are no college games on those days,” DiFilippo said.
The chance for his hitters to bat against a player considered a prime major league draft prospect was appealing as DiFilippo divided his squad into teams.
With the exception of catcher Carter Johnson, the nucleus of the Bulldogs’ regular lineup were assigned to the team that would step in the batter’s box against Wolters, who again hit 96 mph on the radar guns.
“Our starters need to see the best pitching they can,” DiFilippo said.
In four innings of work, Wolters faced 13 batters. He walked one, struck out eight and induced the other four to hit ground balls to an infielder.
No hits and no runs allowed, which is a typical outcome for the right-hander who has signed with the University of Arizona, his next destination should he pursue the collegiate route.
In 28 1/3 innings as a senior – excluding Monday – Wolters has allowed seven hits and five walks while striking out 64 batters. His earned run average is 0.49.
The feedback from the scouts was all positive.
“They couldn’t believe how well he was pitching in the howling wind,” DiFilippo said. “It was blowing left to right, and he competed and dominated.”
In a play on words, the M-S coach added, “they were blown away by how good he is.”
Since the scrimmage wasn’t an official contest, there was the opportunity for scouts to make special requests without affecting the integrity of the game.
There was only one.
“I was going to remove him after 40 pitches (three innings), but they asked for him to go one more inning,” DiFilippo said. “They were ecstatic to watch him play and wanted to get more (video) footage.
“They wanted to move their cameras around.”
Not only were all 30 major league teams represented, some teams had multiple personnel on site.
Rainy conditions in suburban Chicago forced the postponement of many suburban games. Many of those scouts or team officials drove to Mahomet.
“We had a national scouting director here, and cross-checkers,” DiFilippo said.
As for Wolters, he is growing accustomed to having scouts watch and analyze his every move.
“He’s handling it, and it’s the norm now,” DiFilippo said. “I haven’t seen him frustrated. He is doing awesome, much better than I would have at 18.”
The M-S coach has so much confidence in Wolters and Johnson – who has caught the pitcher for much of the last decade – that he lets them work together this spring.
The coach doesn’t call the pitches.
“If we see something, we will relay it to Carter J,” DiFilippo said. “They’ve called 99 percent of the pitches.”
With every Bulldog guaranteed of playing the entire game, there were some fans in the stands.
“We asked the parents to come,” DiFilippo said, “and this year we’ve invited youth clubs to have a day.
“(Monday) was the Bulldog Club.”
For the record, the M-S Orange team – which included Wolters – posted a 6-2 victory.
Wolters’ performance wasn’t the only Monday highlight.
Braden Houchin hit a home run. Tyson Finch and Matt Orr also had productive days at the plate.
“It was fun to get all of the kids out there in a game situation,” DiFilippo said.
Wolters (4-1) is scheduled to make his next start at 11 a.m. on Saturday (May 6) at home against Mattoon.
