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Player of the Year Nominee - Jake Mueller

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About: Jake Mueller

Coaches and scouts say Jake is one of the most fundamentally-sound 12-year-old players they have ever seen, to go with great instincts for the game and the tools to be a future star. There may be players in his age group that are bigger and stronger at this stage in the game, but few players can match Jake's work ethic and heart. He is an elite level defensive shortstop/second baseman. Makes all the routine plays with ease and makes the tough plays look easy. Will be even better once he gains more arm strength as he matures. Great range and footwork. Jake also is the quintessential leadoff/two-hole type hitter at this stage in his career. Jake is a gap-to-gap line drive hitter currently, but projects as a middle-of-the-order hitter who will eventually hit for power to go with his high average once he grows and fills out. Also has great speed and reads pitchers well to get good jumps. One of the most disciplined 12-year-old hitters anywhere. A high-average and on-base percentage hitter who rarely strikes out. Works the count like a pro and has a hitting approach that shows maturity well beyond his years. Above all, Jake has the type of makeup that scouts and college coaches dream about. He is extremely coachable, loves and respects the game and loves and respects his teammates.

Follow Jake's career on his Web site at
www.JAKEMUELLER.com

Jake Mueller's Stats:

Spring 2009

USSSA
Batted .588 (53-for-90) with a .673 on-base percentage in 39 games for the 12U Majors Midlands Express (Columbia, SC). Scored 50 runs, had 33 RBI and 29 stolen bases and struck out only eight times in 118 plate appearances. Appeared in the USSSA Elite 32 World Series at Disney's Wide World of Sports in July 2009.

DIXIE YOUTH
Batted .913 (21-for-23) with two home runs, 12 doubles, five triples, 10 walks, 31 runs scored and 28 RBI to lead West Augusta Giants to 12-0 record and league championship for West Augusta ARPD Dixie Youth League. The two home runs were the first two of Jake’s career. On the mound, went 6-0 with a 0.50 ERA, allowing only two earned runs in 24 innings pitched, allowing four hits and 10 walks with 60 strikeouts. Was the starting shortstop and leading hitter for the West Augusta Dixie Majors All-Stars that made it to the Georgia State Tournament in July 2009. Batted .762 (16-for-21) with five walks, one HBP, three triples, six doubles, 16 runs scored and nine RBI in eight all-star tournament games. On the mound in all-stars (four appearances), allowed five earned runs in 10.1 innings pitched (2.90 ERA), allowing nine hits and four walks while striking out 16 batters.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
In first season of middle school baseball in Spring 2009 as a sixth grader, Jake led St. Mary’s (Augusta, GA) in batting with a .516 average (16-for-31) and a .625 on-base percentage in 12 games. Also led team with 16 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 17 attempts.

Fall 2008

USSSA
Joined the 12U Majors Midlands Express in September 2008, batted .530 (35-for-66) with 29 runs scored, 20 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a .608 on-base percentage in 25 games. Also in the Fall 2008, Mueller played part-time for the Florence-based 12U Majors Palmetto Patriots, batting .457 (21-for-46) with eight walks, five HBP, 17 runs scored, nine RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 22 games. Playing shortstop and second base and batting leadoff, Mueller led the Patriots to a second-place finish at the USSSA Winter Nationals in Orlando, Fla., in late December, batting .500 (6-for-12) with a .625 on-base percentage (10-for-16) in five games.

DIXIE YOUTH
Jake batted .731 (19-for-26) with 14 RBI, eight walks and 22 RBI in 10 games for the White Sox in the Martinez-Evans Little League Fall league.

Jake Mueller's Other Activities (non-sports related):

Jake is an A-B Honor Roll Student at St Mary on the Hill Catholic School in Augusta, GA. Also active in St. Mary's Youth Ministry. Plans to run for Student Council as he begins his 7th grade year in August 2009. Jake also plays for the St. Mary School basketball team. For the past two years, Jake has traveled from Augusta to Columbia, South Carolina, making the 90-minute drive with his dad three or four days a week for baseball practice with his USSSA majors team. Jake also likes to read (Derek Jeter's "The Life You Imagine" is his favorite book), watch movies (*61 is his all-time favorite) and play the Wii and Wiffle ball with his younger brother, Kevin. Jake's dream is to play baseball for his beloved North Carolina Tar Heels, but would also love to play in the SEC, with Georgia and South Carolina as his top choices. Other than school, church and family, that's about it. For Jake, it's pretty much all baseball all the time.