By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Illinois’ 2011 Prep Baseball Report Player of the Year, Sam Travis, was called up to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday and will make his first big-league start today. The former Providence Catholic standout delivered the best offensive season I have scouted in Illinois since the Prep Baseball Report’s inception in 2005.

Despite his offensive exploits, Travis was said that he couldn’t play third base, and therefore he’d profile as an average-sized, right-handed hitting first baseman at the next level. So he slipped, and was drafted in the 40^th round by the Cincinnati Reds.

Travis opted to go to Indiana University, where he teamed up with Kyle Schwarber to lead the Hoosiers to the College World Series. Out of Indiana, scouts realized that the right-handed hitting first baseman was a born hitter, in the purest sense. After his junior year, the Boston Red Sox drafted Travis in the second round. And despite missing most of last year with a knee injury, Travis still fast-tracked to the big-leagues because, well, hitters hit.

Below is the Sam Travis Player of the Year story I wrote after his unforgettable senior year at Providence in 2011:   

By Sean Duncan

It’s toe-curling cold, early February, and Providence Catholic’s top players are huddled around a portable heater in the Celtics’ clubhouse, waiting patiently for the season preview photo shoot to begin.

Only one problem: No one thought to bring a bat, a necessary prop for a team full of hitters. Sam Travis, the Celtics’ three-year starting third baseman, says hold on, and makes a run to his car, short-sleeves and all.

Travis returns with about 12 bats in hand – metal, wood, all makes and kinds.

“I guess I never know when I’m going to stop at a cage, or have a pickup game with my friends,” Travis later said. “Obviously I like to hit.”

No kidding. A month or so later, and only slightly warmer, Travis opened the season going nine for his first nine with three homers, four doubles and 11 RBI. And the 6-foot, 195-pound Indiana University recruit didn’t stop hitting until he completed one of the most statistically impressive offensive seasons in Illinois high school history.

Travis finished his senior season with a .504 batting average, 17 home runs, 17 doubles, three triples and 75 RBI. He also tallied 53 runs, 68 hits and a 1.023 slugging percentage. Perhaps his most impressive statistic – and the reason he drove in 75 runs – was his .542 batting average with runners in scoring position.

 “It always helps when you have guys around you who get on base,” said Travis, who was selected in the 40^th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Reds. “I just try to feed off the guys and do I what I can do. I guess as far as the numbers are concerned, I couldn’t ask for more. Guys are getting on base and giving me opportunities to drive them in.”

That’s classic Travis. While others get all puffy-chested, he deflects the shine to his teammates, his friends, the ones who gave him the opportunity to be the hero.

“Sammy is very quiet, he doesn’t talk a ton,” said Providence coach Mark Smith. “He just goes about his business. He is very business-like on the field. He doesn’t smile a lot, not because he’s not having fun, but because it’s business as usual. He’s very focused. It’s like he expected himself to do that.

“Sammy has a quiet confidence. He doesn’t boast; he’s very modest. He’s just trying to do the best he can. He just goes out and does his thing.”

One time Travis did speak up was when Providence was losing in a junior varsity game against Lockport this spring. Travis was pestering Smith for an at-bat. He wanted to test out his left-handed swing, one which he honed playing softball in gym class because he didn’t want to mess up his pure right-handed stroke.

Smith finally acquiesced.

“The first two swings were terrible,” Travis said. “Then I fouled one off.”

Travis worked the count to 2-2 before he unleashed a shot through the teeth of the wind and over the right-field fence in his only left-handed at-bat.

“I was just standing in the dugout in utter amazement,” said Smith. “He seems to amaze you with the things he does every day.”

From the right side of the plate, Travis dropped his share of bombs, and jaws, with his compact, explosive swing. Only 11 players in state history produced more homers in a season than Travis, and his 75 RBI ranks third, according to the IHSA website.

“I knew he was capable of great things,” said Smith. “But if you look the numbers, it’s hard to put into words the type of season he’s had. Everyone knew he could hit, but this was remarkable.”

Making Travis’ feats even more impressive was he did it despite hitting in positively miserable conditions throughout the entire spring. Against Joliet Central, Smith recalled that the wind was whipping in at about 20-25 mph, and Travis smashed a line drive through it that cleared the centerfield wall.

“It was merely impossible to hit a home run on that day, but Sammy did it,” Smith said.

Travis’ offensive prowess reached legendary levels at the Class 4A state tournament at Joliet’s Silver Cross Field in June. In the first inning of the state semifinal against Prospect, Travis unleashed a two-out taper-shot homer to left-field that propelled the Celtics to a 9-1 victory and into the championship game.

Then again, in the championship game against Lyons Township, Travis uncorked a similar moon-shot home run in the top of the first inning. Only this time, Travis’ prodigious blast didn’t deflate All-State right-hander Connor Cuff, as Lyons Township rebounded to upend the favored Celtics 8-3 to win the state title. Travis also ripped a run-scoring double in the loss.

After the game, Lyons Township coach George Ushela spoke of his team’s resiliency and Sam Travis.

“All I know is that Travis kid can hit,” Ushela exclaimed.

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