Catching a new role
Senior catcher Tyler Huntey is batting .217 in his second full season as the starting catcher.
Senior catcher Tyler Huntey has played all 32 games this season, starting 31 of them.
He played all 34 innings over the weekend against the University of Toledo, including transitioning to the outfield for the final inning of Sunday’s win and making a diving grab to end the game.
While most catchers take a game off every weekend, or at least a few innings during a blowout, Huntey keeps going.
Huntey has only been a starter the last two seasons. He maintains a batting average of .217. His defense, stamina and communication skills helped him develop into a leader.
“Behind the plate you want a leader,” said junior outfielder Logan Regnier. “You want someone who’s going to take charge of the game and Tyler does just about as good a job as anyone.”
He’s below average in terms of batting average, but ranks in the top three on the team in doubles, five, home runs, two and RBI’s, 17. On the defensive side, his arm is almost as valuable as his pitcher’s.
“He’s unreal,” said junior pitcher Jason Gamble. “Nobody tries to steal on him. As a pitcher, that’s the greatest thing in the world. Just knowing that you don’t have to make the perfect pitch for him to throw (the runner) out, he’s going to throw him out no matter what, it’s a great feeling.”
Of the 42 runners that have attempted to steal a base against him, he’s thrown out 21 of them.
Gamble said Huntey works well with pitchers, keeping them calm through rough spots.
“He puts emphasis on you personally, not just emphasis on the whole pitching staff,” Gamble said. “He goes one-on-one with you, if you’re struggling he’ll let you know.
Every time somebody gets on, he always says to me ‘don’t worry about that guy, I’ll take care of him.’”
Like father, like son
Huntey said the reason he’s a catcher and the reason he’s a Chippewa is because of his father. His father Clark was inducted into CMU Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 and won three Mid-American Conference Championships.
“When you grow up when your Dad played here—he was successful here and he won a lot of championships—growing up that’s just one of the coolest things that he can be to you and somebody you really look up to,” Huntey said. “I really like being involved in the game all the time, and obviously my Dad was a catcher, which is another reason that motivated me.”
Clark was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 32nd round of the MLB draft in 1989. He played with the Pocatello Ginats in the Pioneer League that season.
“I had a chance to introduce him when he was inducted to the Hall of Fame,” said CMU Head Coach Steve Jaksa. “Tyler looks up to his Dad, and why the heck wouldn’t you? He’s got a lot of ties here. He understands what the culture is here.”
Huntey said he’s become used to being compared to his father, who hit 23 home runs in 1989, the second-most in program history, and it doesn’t bother him.
His teammates don’t let him forget it, either.
“I love Mr. Huntey, he’s a great guy,” Regnier said. “He definitely gets on Huntey a little bit, which is great. We give Huntey a little bit of crap about his Dad being a really good player.”
