Adam MacDonald
ADEL — Cook High senior Kaleb Cowart is going to miss a few days of school next week, but it’s OK. He’ll be off preparing for his career.
Cowart, the ace of the Hornets pitching staff, has been selected to play in the Aflac All-American Baseball Classic at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif., on Aug. 16. The game is a showcase for the top 40 high school players in the country coming off their junior year.
“I was pretty surprised,” Cowart said about the selection. “I was completely excited. I never thought it’d be real. It’s an honor, and I want to go out and support and represent South Georgia.”
Since it’s inception in 2003, the Aflac All-American Baseball Classic has been one of the premier high school all-star games in the country. Three No. 1 picks in the Major League Baseball draft played in the Classic, and 65 alumni have been selected in the first round. Past players include Justin Upton, Tim Beckham, Matt Bush and Donavan Tate.
Over the summer, Cowart played summer ball for the East Cobb Astros and played in several Perfect Game USA showcases. His team played over 80 games, and his strong performance led him to being selected to play in the game.
Now that he’s earned his spot, he’ll have a chance to impress the hundreds of college and major league scouts that will be on hand. The game will also be nationally televised on Fox SportsNet at 8 p.m. eastern. With all the exposure, Cowart knows the impact the event can have on his future.
“We play in front of scouts all summer, so it’s nothing new,” Cowart said. “Hopefully I’ll be in the first round next year, so we’ll see what happens. I’m not nervous now, but I might be when I get there.”
The format of the game is East vs. West. Cowart will be one of the 20 players on the East squad. On the roster he is listed as a right-handed pitcher and third baseman, the two positions he also plays at Cook. His bio on the Aflac All-American Web site says he is possibly the best two-way prospect in the 2010 class.
“You can’t put that into words,” Cowart said. “It’s an honor to be considered that as well.”
Cowart has been in Cook’s rotation since his freshman year. As a sophomore and junior he led the Hornets to back-to-back appearances in the state AA semifinals.
Last year was his best yet at Cook. He threw 74 innings and struck out 107 batters. He had a .85 ERA. At the plate he hit .535 with 16 home runs and 47 RBIs.
His fastball has been clocked between 90-94 miles per hour, he has a mid 70’s curve ball and he’s working on a changeup.
However, Cowart said he’ll mostly play third base and bat in the All-American game, and that’s where his future is.
Cowart has committed to play at Florida State, but now that he’s on the fast track to being a first round pick in the 2010 MLB draft, he’s not quite sure which direction he’s going to go.
“It depends on so many things,” Cowart said. “Right now I don’t even know what those things are. Hopefully I have a good high school season and things work out.”
Before he goes to college or the pros, Cowart wants to make sure he complete his career at Cook with a championship. The Hornets have knocked on the door of a state championship for the last two years but have come up short. In 2010 they will return Cowart, D.J. Johnson and three freshman who started in last year’s semifinals.
Cowart said as long as the Hornets don’t overlook other teams, he expects them to be in the mix for the state title again.
“I’d love to out and win state my senior year,” Cowart said.
