Nebraska Commitment Spotlight: Conner Barnett of Papillion LaVista
September 6, 2018
Brian Feekin
Nebraska Scouting Director
By Brian Feekin
Prep Baseball Report Nebraska
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PBR: Why did you choose Nebraska-Omaha?
I chose UNO because of the coaching staff and the culture they are building there. Coach Porter wants to build a competitive team that is about making each other better. I also like the education program there it is highly regarded by schools.
PBR: What other schools were you considering?
Southeast CC, Iowa western, Northeast CC
PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
The coaching staff first saw me at the Gopher Classic my sophomore summer. I was asked to attend a camp a camp in the winter of my junior year and after that the coaching staff and I stayed in contact almost weekly. And now it is weekly in regards to checking in and seeing how I'm doing.
PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
The coaching staff emphasized a team based program. They did not want a selfish team that was not competitive and only cared about themselves. This was a great thing for me to hear it showed that they want to recruit hard working student-athletes that want to build something together.
PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
My Dad and my coaches have been a huge impact on me. The most impactful coach is officer Benes. He throws BP almost 4 times a week to me and he also hits groundballs whenever I ask.
PBR: What plans does the coaching staff have in store for you in your freshman season?
The coaching staff said that they aren’t just going to hand me a spot. But if I work hard over the winter and be coach able there is a good possibility of me playing my freshman year.
PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?
My sophomore year of baseball in general was just a great year. Everyone that was on that team wanted to make everyone better and it showed. We all formed a bond that year that will never be broken.
PBR: Who is the best player you have competed against?
The best player I have competed against was Ryan Peterson from Papio South. His fast has a lot of tail running away from the right handed batters box and he can also throw a nasty deuce.
Scouting Report
6-foot, 175-pound right-handed hitter runs in the 6.5-6.7 range. Ranked #15 in Nebraska 2019 rankings. Lean athletic frame with twitchy athleticism. At the plate, hitchy load, consistent hard line drive contact, sprays all fields. Posted an 85 mph exit velocity off a tee at the Nebraska Elite 50. Avg. hands in the infield, shows athleticism and soft glove, sporadic accuracy. Topped out at 84 mph across the infield. Has ability to be an elite level defender in the outfield. Barnett has hit in the .380-.410 range the last two years at the varsity level in the lead off spot.