THE REAL DEEL
Glover: Senior is best all-around catcher that he’s coached at Hobart
Hobart coach Bob Glover Jr. was yelling at Jaden Deel to run hard when the senior crushed a long one to left field that soared out of U.S. Steel Yard.
Deel didn’t look up, and he didn’t break out of his jog.
He knows — and Glover, always the worried coach, knows Deel knows — when Deel squares up on a ball.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Deel is a wiry mass of fast-twitch muscles who is a beast at the plate. He’s arguably the most dangerous hitter in Northwest Indiana and easily is the best catcher.
Glover said Deel is the best all-around catcher he’s coached at Hobart. That includes Nick Bokun, a 2014 graduate who also played football. Bokun played tight end at the University of Pennsylvania.
“He knew he got all of it,” Glover said of Deel’s home run in the fifth inning of a 6-2 victory against Highland last week. “He’s got a lot of power.”
Deel was batting .429 with three home runs, six doubles and 20 RBIs for the Brickies (12-7) through Tuesday. He also is good on the bases. Deel has eight steals in nine attempts.
In his first high school plate appearance in nearly two years, Deel drove one out to left-center in a home game against Merrillville. He thinks the ball traveled more than 400 feet.
Deel has had multiple games with at least two hits. That includes a 5-for-6 performance against Valparaiso.
Deel arrived at Hobart as the starting catcher and just got better each year.
It’s hard to say what it would’ve been like last year had the season not been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Deel hit .366 with a home run and 21 RBIs as a sophomore. He added 20 pounds of muscle since 2019. He was in great shape before last season was canceled.
Deel said his confidence level at the plate is high. Missing last season motivated him more.
“I’m seeing the ball great,” he said. “These last few games, I’ve been kind of off just swinging at the right pitches. I’m going to make contact. It’s just a matter of that ball getting through or finding the hole.”
Glover said Deel has a great arm and good footwork behind the plate. An umpire told Glover that Deel was “perhaps the best defensive catcher” he’s seen in high school around here.
“That’s high praise,” Glover said.
Deel started catching when he was 12. He loves the position. When he has time to watch baseball on TV, he studies catchers.
Like a lot of kids in Hobart, Deel played football when he was younger, but he said concussions “until middle school pulled me out of it.”
Deel will attend Huntington University, an NAIA school in Fort Wayne, where he’ll play baseball.
The pandemic affected his recruiting, although he said Huntington would’ve been the right place for him in any circumstance.
Deel expects to contribute right away. He plans to ride the baseball wave as long as he can.
“They’re hoping for some big things for me,” he said. “And I am as well.”
Sectional pairings: The most compelling first-round game from the random draw for the baseball tournament that begins May 26 pits Kouts against Washington Township in the Class A Washington Township Sectional.
Those teams meet Friday for a preview.
In the Class 4A Merrillville Sectional, Highland will play Munster in a tough opener. Highland beat Munster twice this week.
In the Class 4A Chesterton Sectional, Hobart will play Andrean in another interesting first-round game.
Rankings: In the state coaches polls, Hanover Central is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, and Washington Township is ranked No. 2 in Class A.