Deerfield’s Gavin Picklin isn’t flashy.
The senior outfielder prefers to focus on his brand of grounded, fundamentally sound baseball, which plays a prominent role for the Warriors.
“I try to stay as consistent as possible,” Picklin said. “I take the simple approach and do my job. Just keep the game simple, then you can replicate success over and over again.”
That approach is working for Picklin, who is stringing together good at-bats and making plays in center field for a second season with Deerfield (12-13). He entered the week leading the Warriors in runs and walks and was second in stolen bases.
Some of the 5-foot-8 Picklin’s best traits are ones that any team would want in its leadoff hitter.
“Even when he’s not hitting at his best, he’s still getting on base,” Deerfield coach Mark Januszewski said. “He’s a mentally strong kid who is always in position to do something positive.”
As examples, Januszewski points to Picklin’s knack for making good reads in the outfield and realizing how pitchers often start coming at him in a sequence. Those seemingly mundane skills not only help the Warriors, but also give his teammates plenty to emulate.
Being a team co-captain, Picklin is tasked with setting the right example, both in actions and in words. His ability to get past negative outcomes during a game is something else that teammates can learn from him.
“I want everyone to know I have their backs,” he said. “I like to give words of encouragement and pick guys’ brains in the dugout to see what we can both learn about what we’re seeing.”
Graf gets it done: Lake Forest’s Sheppard Graf decided to let his bat do its job this season.
The senior third baseman’s results have included virtually nonstop production in the middle of the Scouts’ batting order.
“The big thing for me this year is that I’m not overanalyzing things,” Graf said. “Last year, there were definitely times when I got in my own head. But now I’m most successful when I’m not thinking about everything.”
The 6-3 Graf, a Southeastern Community College commit, entered this week batting .378 and providing ample thunder as the No. 3 hitter for the Scouts (16-10). He had five home runs and 21 RBIs, and 11 of his first 28 hits went for extra bases.
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“Being able to put him into the No. 3 hole every game has been nice,” Lake Forest coach Ray Del Fava said. “He’s been rock solid, shows nice leadership and cares about the team and baseball more than anyone.”
Among Graf’s goals for this season, he wanted to strike out less often, and he has done that. He’s also being smarter with two strikes, opting to cut down on his swing.
The latter requires Graf to stay composed in those high-stakes situations. He borrowed the approach he used as a tight end on Lake Forest’s football team.
“I think about fire and calmness in those situations,” Graf said. “You have to make contact and fight as much as you can. You can’t give in. Even if you have one or two bad at-bats, you have to flush them from your memory.”
Feldman the man: Ethan Feldman’s path to high-proficiency hitting comes with an assist to technology and his mother, Pam.
She has been taping the Grayslake North junior’s at-bats for as long as he can remember, and sifting through the footage has been instrumental in Feldman’s improved production at the plate.
“I’m a big video guy,” he said. “It allows me to go back and see my swing and tell me what I can do to improve. I’ve really been working on my approach lately.”
Through Monday, the 5-9 Feldman was hitting .364 with a .494 on-base percentage and 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts for the Knights (11-15).
“He’s come a long way,” Grayslake North coach Eric Lopez said. “He has a plan when he goes up to bat and sticks with it. He takes the approach he has to heart, and we’re seeing the results.”
Feldman’s recent tweaks have yielded significant improvement. He noticed a pronounced leg kick caused him to be late with his swing, so he shortened his stride. He also changed his stance with two strikes, spreading his legs wider to lower his line of vision.
Against Lakes on Tuesday, Feldman had an 11-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off five two-strike pitches before ripping a line-drive single.
“It gives me a smaller load and allows me to see the ball better,” he said. “I’m picking the ball up better out of the pitcher’s hand.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.