Kobe
Kato

At the beginning of the weekend the third-year sophomore blended in, batting 7th in the Wildcats loaded lineup. However, by the end of the four game series he stood out, not only for his smooth defense with plus range in all directions, but also for his consistent, hard contact at the plate. Kato controlled the zone at-bat after at-bat, ending the weekend 6-for-15 with five RBI. There might not be a ton of power to his game right now, but there is certainly bat-to-ball skills to go along with stellar defense at the keystone. He showcased this D all in one play during the Wildcats’ Sunday W over Missouri. Ranging far to his right up the middle, he backhanded a grounder on the SS side of second base, quickly transferred and made a strong throw on the money for the game’s final out. Spectacular ending to a well-played ballgame. Check it out here at the 3:52 mark.