PBR Illinois Player of the Week: OF Mason Baer

The Lake Park Lancers (7-0-1) have been one of the state’s hottest teams and they’re putting themselves in prime position to make a splash upon the PBR Illinois Power 25 when we first update our rankings on Monday. 

Junior OF Mason Baer (2022; uncommitted) has been, arguably, the primary reason for the Lancers’ hot start. Lake Park loaded up their opening week schedule with a six-game slate, and the program won all six against the likes of Bartlett, Schaumburg, Conant, St. Viator, and St. Charles East, and Baer sparked the Lancers’ offense by opening the spring with a 10-for-10 start from the top of the order.

Those 10 straight hits to start the season tied for the seventh most in IHSA history, and his table-setting duties helped motor the robust middle of the order behind him. Of Baer’s 10 hits, five went for extra bases – three doubles and two triples – and he also walked four times, drove in six runs, and touched home nine times in those six games. Additionally, he closed three of his team’s first six wins, earning three saves in the process, striking out four in three scoreless, hitless innings.

Lake Park Head Coach Dan Colucci has been coaching at the varsity level since 1999, and he called Baer’s hot streak the “best start he’s seen” in his tenure.

Baer’s helped propel the Lancers into heavy consideration for a Power 25 spot inside our next update, and it’ll be interesting to see just how long the junior center fielder can keep up this white-hot start to his spring, boosting his high school along the way.

For his efforts, Baer has been named the PBR Illinois Player of the Week, for the week of April 11-18. We're thankful for the POTW submissions we received from the coaches across the state. The players who garnered POTW consideration will earn a place within Friday's Diamond Notes story, so be on the lookout for that by the end of this week.

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