Player Primer: Tyler Pennington
On or off the field, Cary-Grove’s 2017 MLB/ATH Tyler Pennington is one of the most well rounded and dedicated kids around, yet is still looking for his first offer. We talked his recruiting, his dedication in the offseason and what’s next for Cary-Grove.
You can find Tyler on Twitter @TPennington_2.
Tyler Pennington
Cary-Grove
Cary, IL
Wt: 220 lbs
Class: 2017
Commitment status: Undecided
LPI: On or off the practice field, what have you been doing to take your game to the next level?
TP: This past offseason, as I have done with every off season, the workouts at my school and with my teammates take precedence over everything else for me. The hard work we do is very important to our program because we strongly believe in working together and building that trust in teammates that will translate to the field. Agilities, lifting, and early morning throwing are all things we do to train and prepare for the season. However, I am able to also train with Cary-Grove graduate Alex Kube at Elite 7 whenever I had the chance. I also had the chance to do a little 7 on 7 and very early morning workouts on Sundays with North Shore Elite and Jonathan Hadnott.
LPI: You currently don’t have any offers, (which I think is crazy) but are proving week in and week out that you have what it takes to play college ball. I also talked to your coach about you and he has give you the highest of praises. What are your greatest strengths or why should a school offer you?
TP: I think I have a lot of great qualities as a player that many programs would find valuable. One thing I believe I am good at is I am a very physical player. I love the physical side of the game and never pass up and opportunity to hit. Another skill I have is that I am an instinctual player. I can read and dissect plays quickly and then fly to the ball. In my opinion, my greatest strength as a player is my brain. I dedicate a lot of time to film and usually know what the offense will do before the play even starts based on formations, tendencies, or little tips and that gives me an advantage.
LPI: Offer or not, which schools have you kept in contact with the most? Or which schools have shown interest in you?
TP: I have kept in contact with a few schools like Air Force and a few other smaller schools. I have recently reached out to some larger schools about possible walk on opportunities and hopefully some interest can spark soon.
LPI: Where have you visited most recently and do you have any visits coming up?
TP: I haven’t visited any schools since the season started and don’t have any planned yet. With the lack of interest from schools, I have really dedicated myself to making myself as good as possible for the team and trying to win a state championship for Cary-Grove.
LPI: Your sole regular season loss game against rival Prairie Ridge in week 1. You guys have won 10 straight games since then and now play a tough DeKalb team in the 6A quarterfinals. Without giving away too much, what are you guys going to do to get to Champaign?
TP: We are just going to keep doing what we have all season and that is just to improve as team every single day. We have done that so far this season and are lucky enough to be in the quarterfinals. Hopefully we can keep getting better and keep advancing into further rounds.
LPI: Who are some of your teammates that you believe have a chance to play at the next level, but may be getting overlooked by college coaches?
TP: There are a few of my teammates that I believe can play at the next level very easily.
Colton Ruhland: He is a great candidate to continue playing after high school. He plays center at CG and will be a 3 year starter by the end of his career. His dad, Matt, was All Big Ten at Iowa and his brother, Trevor, is a sophomore lineman at Notre Dame. He is a big, physical player that works extremely hard and could make a great addition to any college.
Addison West: He is definitely another prospect at CG. He is a sophomore offensive tackle that is playing his first year of varsity football. He has great size and natural aggression and athleticism on the field.