By ALDO AMATO / Staff Writer

HOOVER — Spain Park High School senior Mikey White hit and pitched his way to being named Shelby County Reporter baseball Player of the Year.
White, who was also named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year, was a force on the mound this season. He had a team low earned run average of 1.13 while striking out 61 batters en route to a 8-2 record.
“”It’s a great honor,” he said. “To be named with all the players around this area and around the state is a great accomplishment.”
White’s pitching was not the only strength that helped him throughout this season. He was a base-stealing ace nabbing 19 bases and also hitting a team-high nine home runs. He also finished his senior season with a .388 batting average.
White said that his solid production at the plate helped him immensely on the mound.
“I think that being a hitter really helped me out pitching this year,” he said. “Even though our staff called all the pitches, it helped put me at ease.”
White however was not always at ease during the season. Going into spring break, the Jaguars were only two games above .500.
“At the beginning of the year we struggled,” he said. “But we picked it up right after spring break.”
Following the break, the Jaguars went 26-7 en-route to the State semi-finals. White said the success on the field and many accolades he has received since would not have been made possible without the contribution from his teammates.
“If they are not there and not playing well,” he said, “then I am not out there winning games.”
To go along with all of his player of the year accolades, White was also drafted in this year’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in the 34th round by the New York Mets. Although he has already stated how grateful he is for the Mets for giving him the opportunity, White said that he plans to play collegiately at the University of Alabama in the fall.
“I felt a little bit of pressure at the beginning of the season,” he said. “But towards spring break I knew that I wanted to play at Alabama.”
White said that he has already been in contact with Crimson Tide coach Mitch Gaspard and is excited about his future at the Capstone.
“Next year I am going to play shortstop,” he said. “When I get down there I hope to progress a lot and can’t wait to learn. I feel like that I can grow at Alabama as a person and professional and make it to the major leagues.”
White said despite being excited for what lies ahead, he will miss the leadership and comradery he received while at Spain Park.
“Coach Smith and my teammates have been there for me every year,” he said. “Every day was a lot of fun.”

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2012 ALL-COUNTY BASEBALL

C – Ben Craft, BCS, Sr.
IF – Tyler Gamble, THS, Sr.
IF – Zach Smith, MHS, Sr.
IF – Mikey White, SPHS, Sr.
IF – Jeremy Hyde, CHS, Sr.
OF – Ty Pierce, PHS, Sr.
OF – David Dahl, OMHS, Sr.
OF – Josh Close, SPHS, Sr.
UT – Austin Davis, CCS, Sr.
UT – Chase Hamrick, MHS, Soph.
P – Tripp Hobbs, CHS, Jr.
P – Cameron Adams, BCS, Jr.
P – Hunter Soleymani, PHS, Sr.
P – Thomas Lowery, PHS, Jr.

Honorable mention: OMHS: Richard Greene, Heath Quinn and Nick Bietighofer; PHS: Parker Curry, Tanner Jackson and Hunter Stovall; SPHS: Hunter Hall, Colton Freeman and Grant Veteto; THS: Garrett Walters, Aron McRee and Jake Walters; BCS: Matthew Furuto, Daniel Robert and Barnes Bankston; CHS: Eli Bashour, Davis Shoemaker and Austin Dean; SCHS: Evan McNeal, Mike Pate and Kyle Cofer; CHS: Keith Dowdell, J.R. Seay and De’Andre Shanks; MHS: Taylor Burr, Trevor Chatham and Eric Smith; ISS: Stephen Himic, Karl Hofammann and William Riley; VHS: D.J. Brasher, Chase Howard and Kade Carroll; KCS: Andrew Whitfield, Gavin Sumrall and Tyler Harrell; CVA: Garrett McMillan, Cody Wood and Allen Logan; CCS: Hagan Joiner, Auston Wingard and Adrian Young; HCS: Matthew Hyde, Kaleb Arnold and Bill Etheridge; ECS: Brandon Mackey, Colton Kimbrel and Josh Letson