Huber at peace, dangerous on baseball field
By Jose Negron
jnegron@yourmvi.com
Every time Mike Huber steps up to the plate and digs his cleats into the batters box, teammates, coaches, fans and opponents alike watch with great interest.
They do so in hopes — or fear in the case of the opposition — of seeing the Thomas Jefferson standout put on a power display that could very well change the complexion of a game.
“I think when Mike is up, everyone pays attention,” said teammate Dylan Mallozzi. “No one wants to miss when he’s up because he can do something special every at-bat.
“It’s always fun to watch him at the plate because you never know when he’s gonna take one deep and you know every time he’s at the plate, he’s gonna hit it hard somewhere and can go yard at any time.”
Like other spring athletes across the state, Huber didn’t have the opportunity to show off his offensive prowess as he had his senior season wiped away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was expected to be the big hitter in TJ’s lineup as well as an experienced veteran on a team that compiled a 13-6 record and made an appearance in the WPIAL playoffs in 2019.
“When he comes out hunting for that fastball early in the count, he’s dangerous. His bat speed is incredible, his athleticism is incredible and he has what it takes to instill fear in any pitcher that faces him,” said Thomas Jefferson coach Tim Vickers. “We expected a ton out of him this year. He dropped a ton of weight to get into baseball shape last year and then football season came and he had to put it back on. I’m just amazed by his dedication.”
After months of no baseball, Huber once again has a platform to showcase his impressive strength.
He and his Thomas Jefferson teammates are back on the field thanks to the formation of the Western Pennsylvania Summer Baseball League. TJ is among five local schools that have players participating in the league.
“Playing with the guys I’ve grown up playing with for one last run, and under the coaching staff that formed me into the baseball player I am today, it’s like a dream come true after everything that has happened,” Huber said. “Although the (spring) season ended, this summer season gives me one more chance to play with a TJ (logo) on my hat. This season is going to be a blast.”
Huber made his league debut by going 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI Monday night. He walked, doubled and hit a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning in an 11-2 victory over Belle Vernon.
“When I go to the plate my mentality can vary. If it’s a close game and we just need to advance a runner or bring in a run, I’m going to do my best to put the ball where it needs to be opposed to swinging for the fences,” Huber said. “But, if we have a nice lead and it’s getting toward the end of the game, my mentality is just to let loose and do some damage on the baseball.”
Mallozzi, one of Thomas Jefferson’s top pitchers, admits it’s nice to stand alongside Huber instead of having to pitch to him. The latter, he says, is a difficult task for any opposing hurler.
“You can’t throw the ball anywhere near the plate without him ripping one,” Mallozzi said. “It’s hard as a pitcher to come up with a gameplan on how to attack him at the plate. We’ve played baseball together since we were 4 or 5 years old and he’s been hitting bombs his whole life, that has never changed.”
Huber, who also played a pivotal role as a lineman for the WPIAL and PIAA championship football team this past fall, will not see his baseball career end this summer.
He said he plans to go the junior college route and play baseball at Cleveland Community College in Shelby, N.C. The program will play its first season next spring competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association.
“From the time I first stepped in the batter’s box, there was just a surreal feeling of comfort,” said Huber, who has 14 years of baseball experience. “Baseball is a way of forgetting about everything else going on in life. I could have the worst day ever, step on a baseball field and find happiness and comfort. Everyone has that thing in life that is their go-to when they are upset or frustrated and for me that’s baseball. Whether it’s playing a game or going to the cages, baseball is my paradise.”
