Antone DeJesus is a perfect poster boy for the Northwoods League -- and, certainly, for the Duluth Huskies.
The soft-spoken, 19-year-old first-year Huskies center fielder is a major pro prospect and a genuinely nice guy who talks with his bat and major-league throwing arm and foot speed. He's just the type of pro prospect and model citizen the 12-team wooden-bat summer circuit tries to recruit.
That DeJesus is handsome and was born with a smile on his face only adds to his wholesome, athletic -- almost movie star-like -- resume. (Think the guys in the Huskies' clubhouse might read this and ring him up in kangaroo court? Ouch!)
DeJesus, who bats and throws left-handed, has the baseball tools and the correct approach to the game to advance to the Major Leagues. He has a sweet swing, the ball explodes off his bat, he has a good understanding of the strike zone, and he has the preparation to play at the next level.
DeJesus likely will be invited to try out for Team USA next summer. If he didn't make the traveling, pre-Olympic development team, he could re-join the Huskies in early July if he chooses to return to Duluth.
ADVERTISEMENT
DeJesus was batting a Huskies-high .308 prior to Thursday's late game against Waterloo. The Huskies will play host to Eau Claire on Saturday and La Crosse next Tuesday and Wednesday -- all 7:05 p.m. starts at Historic Wade Stadium.
"Antone can hit, can hit for power, has a great arm and can run -- all things the pros look for," Huskies field manager Dave Parra said. "We want guys like him in our league who have pro aspirations; that's what they're here for."
At the same time, Parra said if he could begin today to build next year's team around one player on the current roster, "Antone clearly would be my first choice."
DeJesus is on a fast-track to play high-level professional baseball. Last spring as a freshman center fielder with the University of Kentucky, competing in the Southeastern Conference, he hit .344, appearing in all 56 games.
DeJesus, 5-foot-11, 180-pounds, won't be eligible for the Major League draft until he completes his junior season at Kentucky.
He said he first learned of the Northwoods League from a few of his Wildcats teammates. So far, Duluth has been a good fit.
"You have a great town," he said.
Will DeJesus play on television one day?
ADVERTISEMENT
"He has all the tools, providing that he continues to develop," said Parra.
"That's my goal, to play in the majors," DeJesus said.
Between the Lines
- The Lake Superior Classic fast-pitch tournament is this weekend at Wade-Wheeler.
"We should have upwards of 20 teams in the U-18 division and 16 teams in U-16," John Koralia, tournament director and Lake Superior Fastpitch League president, said.
The Lake Superior Classic is a MSF/ASA national-qualifying tournament, meaning that the first- and second-place teams in each division will receive a berth to the Northern Nationals in Ham Lake, (18s) and Bloomington, Illinois (16s), both Aug. 4-7.
Defending Lake Superior Classic U-18 champions are Minnesota Ice (A Bracket) and Wild Things (B Bracket).
Tournament pool play begins Saturday to be followed by single-elimination play Sunday at the seven Wade-Wheeler Fields. Many of the competing teams are from out of town, so the tourney has a big local economic impact.
Daily admission is $3 for adults and $2 for students, with youths 10-and-under for free. Lower-priced two-day passes are also available. Tourney profits go to the Lake Superior Fastpitch League for field improvements.
- Minnesota Duluth has eliminated its assistant sports information position in 2005-06, a spot formerly held by Jayson Hron. The school had funded the position since 1998-99, and now Bulldog Sports Information Director Bob Nygaard will be left with only student helpers to handle the many editorial and statistical duties. UMD is now the only school in the country which sponsors NCAA Division I men's and women's ice hockey and doesn't employ more than one full-time sports information person.
Howie Hanson writes a weekly sports column for Duluth Budgeteer News. He can be reached by e-mail at Duluth@aol.com
