After breakout sophomore season, Tyler Minick had an even bigger year
Next to Player of the Year Connor Maryniak, Tyler Minick was the best hitter on Gov. Mifflin’s 2021 Berks League baseball championship team. The sophomore batted .376 and slugged an impressive .588.
Those numbers now look small compared to what Minick produced this season. He spent the months that followed his first full varsity season strengthening his lower half and refining his swing. The line drives in the gaps that went for extra bases a year ago suddenly were carrying over the fence this season.
“The (increased) power, the strength, came from football and basketball (where) I use my legs more,” said Minick, who led the Berks League with six home runs — and in several other key offensive categories. “Running hills really helped my legs.
“Mike Spidale (coach of the Berks County Bulls) worked on my swing (and) the lower half to generate more power. Last year I only had one home run. The doubles and triples (I hit last year), they turned into balls over the fence.”
Minick homered twice in a key midseason match-up of unbeatens against Muhlenberg and kept hitting all season, more than enough to earn MikeDragoSports.com Player of the Year, an award sponsored by Utilities Employees Credit Union.
Minick was a game-changer with his bat, on the bases, on the mound and in the field at shortstop; he was the catalyst in a season which saw the Mustangs win their first 19 games and the Berks I title.
“Tyler will go down as one of the best baseball players we’ve ever had,” said Mifflin coach Chris Hole. “He’s done it offensively — the average, the power, the stolen bases — but also on the mound.”
Minick pulled off a rare double, leading the league in both batting, at .500, and in ERA, at 0.93.
The Mustangs’ leadoff hitter was practically impossible to keep off base. He drew 17 walks and compiled a league-best .616 on-base percentage.
At one point he reached base 11 consecutive times over three games, against Carlisle, Muhlenberg and Wilson.
Once on bases the University of Connecticut recruit didn’t remain stationary for long: He stole a team-leading 11 bases (in 12 attempts) and scored a team-high 28 runs (in just 73 plate appearances).
Minick increased his on-base percentage by 135 points over last year and nearly doubled his slugging percentage, from .588 to 1.018.
His OPS of 1.634 would seem ridiculous even in a video game.
“He’s not a big guy, but he is extremely strong,” said Hole. “He may be the strongest player on the team in the weight room workouts. He’s able to generate so much much torque, so much bat speed. Tyler has the most violent swing of anybody I’ve ever coached.
“(And) what makes him so dangerous is that violent swing can be to all fields. He is willing to go ‘oppo,’ where a lot of guys who have power, they’re trying to jack a ball to the pull side. Tyler’s a smarter hitter and uses that power so much more effectively.”
Even with a powerful swing Minick struck out only five times in 56 at-bats.
“He knows how to square up a baseball, and that’s come from a lot of reps,” Hole said. “There’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes. He’s just a true athlete. He runs well, and he’s got great agility.”
Indeed, how many guys can say they returned a kickoff for a touchdown, hit a clutch 3-pointer in the final minutes to their big rival and led the league in ERA?
The only thing that slowed Minick was injuries. He felt triceps soreness after throwing a four-hitter against Twin Valley May 2 and didn’t pitch again. He strained his oblique taking BP before the start of the District 3 Tournament and never got back on the field. All told, he missed five games.
He was not able to compete in the Carpenter Cup this week because he’s currently rehabbing the oblique strain; he may still be several weeks away from returning for summer ball.
“Every year he’s dealt with some nagging injuries that have affected him and our team,” Hole said. “Despite those setbacks he’s already on pace to be one of the most productive players we’ve ever had, and in multiple ways.”
Utilities Employees Credit Union also sponsored the Pitcher of the Year.
