Fitch catcher Bagoly eyes collegiate, draft plans

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By Chuck Housteau

He could be a mid-round draft pick in June’s Major League Baseball draft.

AUSTINTOWN — Fitch High’s Jason Bagoly has always felt comfortable with a bat in his hands.

Bagoly is so comfortable with a bat that the 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior became a four-year starter as a designated hitter and catcher for one of the area’s best baseball programs and coach Wally Ford.

The senior batted about .450 this season and nearly that high for his high school career and has the power that has produced 11 home runs in his four years.

Hitting a baseball consistently and with power has never been a problem for Bagoly.

“He’s the strongest hitter I’ve ever coached,” Ford said.

“That’s nothing new,” said Cardinal Mooney High manager Al Franceschelli, who has coached Bagoly in the sandlot leagues for six seasons. “Jason’s always hit the ball for average and power as long as I can remember.”

Becoming a catcher however, didn’t come about so easily for Bagoly.

Bagoly was always a pitcher and infielder, like most great young players in little league but was growing too big and strong as he approached his teen years.

Franceschelli remembers the first time he met the tall, lanky 13-year old hitter trying out for a position on his Babe Ruth all-star baseball team.

“We had [Ohio State football recruit] John Simon on the team at first base who was also one of the best hitters I’ve ever coached,” Franceschelli said. “I saw Jason and said, ‘Well, first base is occupied and I don’t think you want to run around in the outfield with all the little speed guys I have out there so you better go grab that mask and chest protector and put it on if you want to play on this team.’ ”

Bagoly did just that and worked at his defensive skills ever since then to the point that he is one of the top-ranked position players in Northeastern Ohio.

Ranked fourth in Ohio by PerfectGame.org and second by ESPN-Rise, Bagoly is set to accept a full scholarship to play baseball at Kent State University in the fall.

A potential detour to that Division I offer at Kent may come in June during the Major League Baseball draft.

Bagoly has been contacted by between eight and 10 major league teams and could be a middle-round draft choice.

If the chance comes to play professional baseball and the signing bonus is good enough, Bagoly may forego his college education for now.

“I’ve always pushed myself to get to the point that I’m at right now,” Bagoly said. “I’ve dreamed about playing baseball at a very high level and now I have that opportunity whether it’s at Kent State or in the professional ranks.

“I’ve worked hard to improve my catching skills and speed and strength by going to Jump Stretch and by playing baseball as much as I can against some of the best players in the country.”

Ford said he recognized the talents of Bagoly at an early stage of his development.

Ford had heard about and seen the tall, solidly built freshman athlete as he came up through the Austintown Little League and Youngstown Babe Ruth programs and knew right away he had to find a spot for Bagoly on the varsity roster.

“He was a natural hitter,” Ford recalled. “It was a no-brainer.”

Ford pencilled Bagoly in as the team’s designated hitter his freshman season and he hasn’t been disappointed.

“He’s right up there at the top of the best position players I have ever coached here,” Ford said. “We had such high expectations of Jason that sometimes its hard to live up to that.

“He’s put up great numbers. He leads our team in hitting and RBIs again this season and he’s done everything we’ve expected and more.”

Ford said that Bagoly’s talents behind the plate are often overlooked because of his hitting ability.

“At catcher, Jason is like having another coach on the field,” Ford said. “He handles our pitchers and calls the pitches. He’s got a great arm and moves around real well behind the plate for his size.

“He’s solid defensively.”

Ford said Bagoly will be a great fit for Kent State.

“Coach [Scott] Strickland is getting a gem in Jason,” Ford said. “And that is if he doesn’t get drafted this June.

Ford said that even if Bagoly doesn’t get drafted high and goes to Kent he still believes Bagoly will impress enough to get drafted after his junior season at Kent.

“Bagoly has the greatest potential to be successful of any player I’ve had,” Ford said.

Bagoly is hoping that his years at Fitch along with all the great sandlot accomplishments such as playing in two Babe Ruth World Series and playing in Chicago’s Wrigley Stadium as a member of the Midwest Firebirds (a collection of Northeast Ohio all-star talent) last fall has helped him reach his ultimate goal.

“Those were great memories,” Bagoly said.

Memories aside, there are likely to be many more highlights ahead for the talented hitter who has always traveled well with a bat in his hands.