T.J. McGuire does not hesitate when he says his 12-year-old sister, Kate, is the best player he’s ever watched.
Just to clarify, he’s referring to the sport of baseball.
Keep in mind that T.J. McGuire played on the 2014 Bayport-Blue Point Phantoms squad that won the New York State Class A championship. That team had a number of phenomenal individuals that went on to play at the college level and prospered there as well–notably Jack Piekos who won the Paul Gibson Award and struck out 122 batters over 74 innings with a record of 10-1.
“I’m saying this not as her brother but as an unbiased fan–if you lined up all the players on the field,” said McGuire, “I would choose my sister first and bat her third and play her at shortstop,” he went on to add.
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Before you dismiss his statement, consider what the 12-year-old phenom has accomplished this season. Last week at Cooperstown All Star Village, she batted .682 with five HR and a 1.409 SLG. During the NJBL summer season, she led her team to a championship while batting .577 with four HR and 15 RBI. She also led her team to the District 35 12U championship for the Williamsport qualifier with a .400 AVG. She also struck out 25 batters over 10 innings while recording two wins on the mound–including 15 strikeouts in the title game.
He noted that he was curious to see how she would perform against that level of competition and “she surpassed everyone’s expectations–even her own”.
T.J. thinks her best is still yet to come.
“She’s only going to grow and get stronger like the boys.”
Being that he has been around her for her entire athletic career, he is not surprised one bit by her level of success on the field. He noted that she was always practicing her swing in the house from the time she was five-years-old and was always athletically gifted. She also is a talented point guard on the girls’ basketball team.
Last season, she played shortstop on the boys middle school baseball team and performed very well in her opportunities.
Her performance has caught the attention of everyone that has watched her play, and T.J. noticed the parents in Cooperstown raving about her abilities.
“She’s not just batting ninth and looking for a chance to play–she’s the best player on the field,” he added.
Their father, Matt, is a retired Lieutenant and T.J. believes that his leadership qualities have rubbed off on her. “He taught us to be leaders. He was a three-sport athlete himself. He always taught us to be examples on the field.”
The next challenge will be high school, where the competition will be steep and the road to success will be paved with obstacles. T.J. doesn’t believe any of that will faze her.
“She can play as long as she wants. If any female will be there first to be in the Major Leagues, it will be her.”
