By Rubin E. Grant
Lucas Steele enjoys playing in big games. In fact, the bigger the stakes, the better he plays.
So, it’s not a surprise that as Hoover made its remarkable run in the Class 7A state baseball playoffs, Steele, a junior catcher, was the driving force.
“He likes big moments,” Hoover baseball coach Adam Moseley said. “He was struggling a little before area play, but late in area play he turned it on. When he started to play well, we started to play better.”
Steele said the playoffs is when his motor kicks into overdrive.
“It’s the adrenaline because all the games matter,” Steele said. “I have always performed better in bigger games.”
Steele finished the season with a .310 batting average, 21 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles and eight home runs in 43 games played, and 32 runs batted in. He had a .497 on-base percentage and 1.152 OPS while leading Hoover to 27-22 record and a runner-up finish in Class 7A.
For his performance, Steele was selected the 2021 OTM Baseball Player of the Year in voting by Over the Mountain coaches.
“That’s awesome,” Steele said. “It’s definitely the best season I’ve had so far in my high school career.”
The Bucs started the season 3-9 before turning things around. Their remarkable playoff run included series victories over No. 6 Bob Jones, No. 1 Hewitt-Trussville and No. 3 Florence before falling in three games in the championship series against No. 4 Auburn. Hoover lost the deciding game 7-6, leaving the bases loaded in the final inning.
“When we started the season nobody thought we’d make it that far,” Steele said. “We came up short, but it was a good run.”
Moseley praised Steele for his leadership throughout the season.
“He’s a switch-hitting catcher with lots of power and an incredible leader,” Moseley said. “He plays with incredible energy. He had to catch in every game or almost every game, which was big for us.
“He’s an absolute joy to coach and he’s a team first guy. He wants his teammates to be successful just as much as he wants to be successful.”
Steele has been a catcher since he was 9 or 10 years old. His dad, Brett Steele, who played at Birmingham-Southern College, put him behind the plate and Lucas Steele immediately took to the position.
“What I like about it is you’re involved in every play and you get to see the whole field, and you have a chance to lead the team,” Steele said.
Steele always has been a switch-hitter. “Ever since I picked up a bat,” he said. “I always thought I had raw power right-handed, but I was quicker to ball left-handed.”
Steele will get a chance to play at the next level. He already has committed to Samford.
“My dad always said if I played college ball it would be good to end up at Samford,” Steele said. “Samford has a good program. I was looking at some other schools, but (Samford) coach (Casey) Dunn called me and made me an offer. Then when I went to actually visit the school, I knew it was the place for me.”
Coach of the Year
Moseley was voted the OTM 2021 Coach of the Year, but he believes the honor should be shared with his assistants, Ehren Wassermann, Chris Coons and Kevin Butler.
“Any award I receive is because of my staff,” Moseley said. “Those guys are incredible and they deserve some recognition. It’s a group effort, not a single guy. I couldn’t do anything without those guys.”
