ROGERS -- A pair of former Prairie Grove baseball players faced off against one another during the Perfect Timing Collegiate League All-Star Game at Veterans Park on Monday, July 18.
Although they had battled a few times during practice, it was the first time Gavin Heltemes had stepped to the plate in an actual game with Logan Gragg pitching.
Heltemes won the battle by slicing an outside fastball over the first baseman's head for a single.
"I winked at him before I went up to bat," Heltemes said. "I told [PT coach Ethan McKinzie] that I was trying so hard to get a hit off of Logan. I said that I don't care if I got 0-for my next two at-bats as long as I get a hit, so it was nice to get a hit off of him."
It was the last game for both players before heading off to play in junior college on Aug. 12. Gragg will suit up at Connors State in Warner, Okla., while Heltemes will play at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College.
"It was fun to go against Gavin," Gragg said. "We've played on the same team all summer and then in high school and pretty much our whole lives, but maybe we'll get to face each other again. I'm not sure if we're in the same conference, but I know our teams will play each other in college."
Matt Vinson, a 2009 graduate of Alma High who went on to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 2010-13, got to witness the progression of both Prairie Grove players while coaching Perfect Timing Blue this summer. He said the future is bright for both Gragg and Heltemes, who played for Perfect Timing Red.
"They pitched against us so I got to really watch them grow," Vinson said. "Gavin had really good outings against us every time and Logan did, too. It's just like any high school kid going into college who has gotten away with throwing in the mid to upper 80s and even 90, they could get away with throwing mainly their fastball to get batters out. They're going to have to learn their secondary stuff and they'll get even better with it this first year, although they'll probably get roughed up a little bit in the fall as most freshman do.
"But they'll be alright. They've got really good stuff."
Gragg, a right-hander, struck out four batters in the two shutout innings he pitched on Monday. One difference from high school was Gragg throwing more pitches from a 3/4 arm slot, instead of over the top, which is something he's been tinkering with while pitching for Perfect Timing NWA.
"I am throwing a little more sidearmed, just to get a little more movement on my fastball, so it's not as straight and it's helped my other pitches, too," Gragg said. "I've got to where I can locate my secondary pitches better and I've gotten a little more speed on my fastball. Hopefully, my mechanics will get better when I go to college."
At Connors State, Gragg said he plans to major in Agri-Businss. His coaches there have said he also can try to play catcher or even an infield position, but he knows his future is on the mound.
Vinson agrees.
"He has a lot of tools and options that other pitchers don't have because of his height [6-foot-5] and he does have a good arm," Vinson said. "He'll be able to use those things to make his secondary stuff even better and he'll get to school and put on some weight. He looks really thin right now and he's already throwing in the high 80s and low 90s [mph], so he has the chance to touch low to mid 90s frequently."
Heltemes, a right-hander, may be in the same boat. He originally was signed by Coffeyville to play in the outfield, but once his coaches saw him pitch, they told Heltemes he should workout as a pitcher as well. He said he's looking forward to focusing only on baseball after starring in three sports at Prairie Grove.
"They recruited me as an outfielder but said you can definitely pitch after seeing me pitch a game," said Heltemes, who plans to major in either athletic training or business. "I'll just have to see what happens -- whatever the coach wants.
"If he wants me to pitch, I'll be pitching. If he wants to play outfield, I'll play outfield."
Heltemes closed out Monday's all-star game by pitching a perfect ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts. Vinson said watching Heltemes on the mound reminds him and other PT staffers of Sonny Gray, a right-hander who was drafted in the first round out of Vanderbilt in 2011 and earned a spot on the MLB All-Star team with the Oakland Athletics last season.
"We've talked about how he's built and throws like Sonny Gray a little bit; He kind of has the same build and same quick arm action," Vinson said. "He's got a great breaking ball and is throwing his fastball in the low 90s, too. He's got a bright future."
Because of his upside as a pitcher, Vinson said it will be difficult for Heltemes to stay a two-way player in college.
"He's a two-way guy right now, but I see him as a pitcher," Vinson said. "It's really hard for a two-way guy in college, although I saw [former Razorback and current Kansas City Royals outfielder] Brett Eibner do it and he's in the big leagues right now, but it's tough. It takes a special person."
Regardless of what the future holds, both agreed the experience with Perfect Timing this summer is one they won't soon forget. In fact, both may return to play in PT's collegiate league again next summer as several of the players they played with and against did the same thing after their freshmen years of college.
"It was fun," Heltemes said. "All the guys were pretty enjoyable to be around and I had a couple of teammates that I'm going to be with next year, so that was cool. The coaches are pretty laid back and the whole experience was a lot of fun, so I would do it again if I don't go somewhere else to play [next summer]."
Sports on 07/20/2016