Hot-hitting O'Hearn starts all-star game Tuesday
6/20/2015 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
Fast starts are nothing new for former Sam Houston State baseball player Ryan O'Hearn. Now, the minor leaguer who turned heads in Huntsville and earned a starting spot as a freshman four years ago, is catching the eyes of prospects across the country.
After belting a South Atlantic League best 16 home runs for the Class-A Lexington Legends, an affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, O'Hearn will start at first base in Tuesday's league all-star game, set to take place at 6:35 p.m. from McCormick Field in Asheville, N.C.
Fans can listen to the game at no cost on the TuneIn Radio app or by visiting the Asheville Tourists' website. O'Hearn is among 26 players to earn a spot on the Southern Division, which competes against the Northern Division, in the 14-team league's 56th annual midsummer classic.
This week, the Royals' eighth-round Major League Baseball draft selection from a year ago was touted as one of the most productive in his class by an MiLB.com contributor after registering a pair of dingers and four RBIs during a three-game midweek set at the Augusta GreenJackets.
Through 63 games with the Legends, O'Hearn has already surpassed his Bearkat career total of six steals – five of which came in 2012 – swiping seven bags in eight tries. The 21-year old is hitting .254 and ranks third in the South Atlantic in total bases (121), fourth in RBIs (38), fifth in slugging percentage (.488) and is tied for tenth in runs (36).
The Kats' former defensive guru has started 48 games at first base and three games in right field. He has committed seven errors in 490 total chances for a .986 fielding percentage.
The Frisco Wakeland product was called up to Lexington after spending his 2014 season with the Rookie Pioneer League's Idaho Falls Chukars where he was named the league's most valuable player after posting a .361 average with 16 doubles, 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. O'Hearn hit a long ball in his first at-bat with the Chukars as part of a 5-for-5 performance.
That season, O'Hearn registered a 14-game hitting streak and 13-game hitting streak, while playing a majority of games in the outfield in addition to some time at first. Defensively, he committed just one error in 406 total chances for a .998 fielding percentage.
At Sam Houston, O'Hearn was a part of three Southland Conference championship teams and finished his career as a .288 hitter. He is tied for third in program history with six RBIs on May 3, 2014 against Stephen F. Austin and alongside Carter Burgess, logged the most at-bats in a game with nine in Regional play against TCU on May 31, 2014.
O'Hearn is among nine Bearkat professional baseball players including Ryan Tepera who is currently with the Toronto Blue Jays.
