By BRET H. MCCORMICK, Journal Sports
Move over, Shohei. Tyler Early’s on deck.
Tyler, an Alexandria resident, might be the best 11-year-old baseball player in the world – and he has the hardware to prove it.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound sixth-grader at Alexandria Middle Magnet School earned the MVP award at the U-12 Baseball World Cup that concluded earlier this month in Taiwan, leading Team USA to a 7-2 overall record and the World Cup championship. Tyler was selected to the All-World Team in right field following the conclusion of the tournament.
Just like Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese sensation who plays for the Los Angeles Angels, has mesmerized Major League Baseball fans with his triple-digit fastballs and 450-foot home runs, Tyler is equally adept at throwing heaters and hitting homers.
Although he won’t turn 12 until November and was the youngest member on the team, Tyler was one of two Louisiana residents and one of five players from his travel-ball organization, the Houston-based Banditos Baseball Club, selected to the 18-player U-12 Team USA roster in Taiwan. He was a standout on the mound, at the plate and in the field for the U.S. team.
A flame-throwing, power-hitting left-hander, Tyler played right field, designated hitter and pitcher in Taiwan. He started all nine games, batting second in the lineup, and also got the call as the starting pitcher in two must-win games, including the championship game.
Before this summer, Tyler had not played much in the outfield as his primary position when he’s not on the mound is first base. However, with the depth of talent on Team USA, Tyler’s bat was needed in the lineup and his athleticism could be used in right field.
The soft-spoken Tyler, whose favorite player is New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, said he felt confident in the outfield and that It didn’t take him long to adjust to his new position. He made several jaw-dropping defensive plays, including a diving catch as he sprinted toward the foul line in right field for the final out in a 5-1 victory over South Korea.
Tyler only played the final four outs of that game in right as he started on the mound, giving up two hits and one run with nine strikeouts before having to exit with two outs in the fourth inning after reaching the maximum 85 pitches allowed, in a game the team had to win to advance out of the opening round after an earlier loss to the Dominican Republic.
In the championship game, a 10-4 win for a second consecutive victory over host Chinese Taipei, Tyler struck out six over four innings while giving up four hits and two runs on 75 pitches. He departed with the U.S. leading 3-2 before the Americans scored seven runs in the sixth inning to lock up the victory.
Tyler’s specialty is a fastball that has topped out at 78 mph and consistently sits in the mid-70s, and he also throws a slider and a changeup.
Kenny Hudson, Tyler’s dad who has coached privately through Alexandria’s Barnes Academy and spent this past season as the pitching coach at Mississippi Valley State, said he thought Tyler being named the starting pitcher against South Korea and in the championship game was “definitely by design.”
“We had two big games that he had to start,” Hudson said.
Cole Beeker, the program director of the U-12 national team, said Tyler was “a spark plug” to the team’s lineup, produced quality outings on the mound and gave Team USA a versatile defender in the outfield.
“He was dynamic on both sides of the ball and was a huge part of our team and our success,” Beeker said.
Tyler’s favorite memory from Taiwan came in the first victory against Chinese Taipei on Aug. 5. With the score tied at 2 and two outs in the top of the fourth inning, Tyler smashed a 1-1 breaking ball over the fence in dead center for a grand slam to give Team USA a four-run lead en route to an 11-3 victory.
At first, Tyler didn’t think he had hit a home run.
“I felt like I didn’t give it enough of my power to get it out,” he admitted. “As I was rounding first base, I said, ‘Oh yeah, this has a chance.’”
While Tyler had his doubts, his dad knew it was heading over the 275-foot sign in center field as soon as the ball left the bat.
“As soon as he hit it, I felt like he had got all of it,” Hudson said.
It was a clutch moment, Hudson said, because the team found out about an hour before the game that they still had a chance to win the gold medal.
“We thought we were out of it,” he said, as the team lost 7-0 to Japan the previous game. “We thought we only had a chance for bronze.”
Tyler said he was “kinda nervous” before the championship game because there were an estimated 8,500 fans in attendance cheering for the home team, but he settled down once he actually stepped on the mound.
Tyler’s journey from Alexandria to Taiwan was a lengthy one. He was one of 36 players initially selected to try out for the U-12 team that traveled to Mexico in May for the World Cup qualifying tournament.
He was one of the 18 players to make that roster, and the U.S. went 9-0, including two one-run wins over Venezuela, to win the qualifying tournament. Tyler went 2-0 in three appearances on the mound in Mexico with a 3.60 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. At the plate, he batted .500 while starting every game, hitting six home runs with 13 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
After that tournament, he was invited back to Cary, North Carolina, to go through another 36-player training camp. He was one of 11 players on the qualifying roster chosen to participate in the World Cup along with seven newcomers. Of the seven players on Tyler’s Houston-based travel team invited to try out, six made the roster for Mexico and five went to Taiwan.
As for what’s next for Tyler and his baseball future, Hudson said his son’s potential is “still unlimited.” He wants Tyler working to improve on the mound, at first base and at all three outfield positions.
“He can do all three at a high level,” Hudson said.
When projecting future development, Beeker said it’s important not to compare an 11-year-old to older players such as high-schoolers. However, he added, all signs indicate that Tyler has some special moments ahead of him on the diamond.
“He is a very special player and a very special human being off the field as well,” Beeker said. “If he continues the way he’s progressing as he is now, he’s got nothing but a bright future ahead of him.”
Ohtani is “changing the game” with his ability to pitch at a Cy Young level and hit at an MVP level, Hudson said, and he’s hoping that allows a new generation of players to continue chasing their dreams of being two-way stars.
Tyler will play multiple positions as long as he can, Hudson said. Where his baseball career eventually leads remains unknown, but for the time being Tyler said he will enjoy his memories from the summer of 2023 and continue playing the game he loves.