Mounties Sallee Picked For Baseball Classic

FILE PHOTO ANDY SHUPE Matt Melson, center-right, Rogers High baseball coach, has been selected to coach in the 11th annual Xtra-Innings Classic next month in Jonesboro.

FILE PHOTO ANDY SHUPE Matt Melson, center-right, Rogers High baseball coach, has been selected to coach in the 11th annual Xtra-Innings Classic next month in Jonesboro.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

ROGERS -- Derek Sallee pitched in some big games for Rogers High this past season and the Mounties rising senior will be in the spotlight next month after being selected to play in the 11th annual Xtra-Innings Classic in Jonesboro.

Sallee will be one of 84 players on four teams for the two-day event, which also includes a Pro Day where players will showcase their skills for college coaches and professional scouts. Sallee will play for the Patriots while Mounties coach Matt Melson will be one of three coaches leading the Lumber Kings.

Rosters

Xtra-Innings Class

at Jonesboro

Patriots

Derek Salle, Rogers High

Courtland McDonald, Jacksonville

Reagan Cates, Parkers Chapel

Colton Nix, Benton

Austin Powell, Star City

Ben Brasuell, Benton

Garrett Freeman, Russellville

Trey Hall, Westside

Caleb Reinhart, Manila

Douglas Munson, LR Episcopal

Antoine Luster, White Hall

Fielder Dufrene, Clinton

Rhett Connor, El Dorado

Gunnar Smith, Benton

Daniel Sprinkle, White Hall

Dylan McLemore, Rivercrest

J. Paul Fullerton, Harding Academy

Zach Jackson, Brynat

James Tucker, Jacksonville

Cutter Jester, Arkadelphia

JP Aiken, Woodlawn

Coaches

Brad Wallace, Vilonia

Jason Belcher, Manila

Mark Balisterri

Mudcats

Blake Wynn, Star City

Justin Pierce, Watson Chapel

Trey Breeding, Bryant

Tucker Hydick, Valley View

Blake Daniels, Marked Tree

Zac Harrington, Magnolia

Danny Mitchel, North Little Rock

Robert Tompkins, Taylor

Drew Dyer, Benton

Joe Hampton, LR Christian

Dylan Thompson, LR Catholic

Nick Myers, Nashville

Taylor Anders, Van Buren

Brody Ninemire, Viola

Noah Holt, Harding Academy

Drew Harris, Lincoln

Colby Johnson, Benton

Will Camp, Gosnell

Landon James, Cabot

Angus Denton, Beebe

Logan Gragg, Prairie Grove

Coaches

Joe Allbritton, Mayflower

Matt Snyder, Pocahontas

Kirk Bock, Bryant

Lumber Kings

Joe Myers, LR Catholic

Chase Nix, Benton

Blake Patterson, Bryant

Blake Hall, Magnolia

Greg Jones, Jacksonville

Justin Swecker, Genoa Central

Cale Riding, Genoa Central

Ryan Rickford, Benton

Hayden Weaver, Vilonia

Brinson Williams, Benton

Jaylen Jackson, Watson Chapel

Drew Duncan, Mayflower

Layne Ditto, Walnust Ridge

Drew Tipton, Bryant

Brandan Warner, Bryant

Ben Madison, Bauxite

Jake Freeman, Greenwood

Mason Gibson, Nettleton

Blake Maddox, Sylvan Hills

Garry Hill, Star City

Caleb Hollimen, Woodlawn

Coaches

Matt Melson, Rogers High

Dustin Wolcott, Crossett

Barrett Davis, Maumelle

Renegades

Jake Goodson, Vilonia

Dillon Groves, Brookland

Hunter Welch, Crossett

Joshua Smeltzer, Magnet Cove

Nathan Harrison, Wynne

Garrett Huff, Genoa Central

Marcus Long, Sylvan Hills

Hunter Heslep, Sylvan Hills

Ty Kosters, Arkadelphia

Keiandre Purifoy, Smackover

Evan Lee, Bryant

Ethan Edwards, Greenbrier

Derek St. Clair, Jacksonville

Hunter Strong, Sheridan

Aaron Fitts, Jonesboro

Matt Strickland, Conway

Kirk Baugh, White Hall

Clayton Douglas, Hamburg

Kuron Summons, Maumelle

Tanner Wiley, FS Southside

Christian Ewing, Dover

Coaches

Jason McGhee, Dover

Kyle Slayton, Nashville

Larry Burrows, Jacksonville

Other local players invited to play include Logan Gragg of Prairie Grove and former Lincoln player Drew Harris.

Sallee batted .378 with eight RBIs last season, and he finished with a 3.66 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 28 innings of work. He will also play either shortstop or second base when not on the mound. Sallee is playing American Legion baseball this summer for Rogers.

"It's absolutely amazing to be selected, almost a dream come true," Sallee said. "I'm so blessed to have this opportunity, and I am excited about it. I'm really pumped. Any time you are playing where there are college coaches, it can be a little nerve racking. But that is a thrill I love about the game."

Sallee said pitching in the 7A/6A-West Conference last season was a learning experience.

"Pitching this past year at the varsity level really helped me grow as a player," Sallee said. "I learned more about my capabilities against other hitters. I can't expect to blow the ball past people; I learned that I have to pitch smart. I have to pitch around people and throw quality strikes."

Former Rogers High player Timmy Seldomridge played last year in the classic and his performance helped the former Mounties shortstop get a scholarship offer from Arkansas State.

"Timmy has told me what a huge opportunity this is," Sallee said. "He told me how much fun it is going to be being able to play with so many colleges being there."

Melson said he expects Sallee to step into one of the two starting pitching roles next season for the Mounties.

"Derek really improved over the last year," Melson said. "He has become more of a pitcher, and not just a thrower. When kids like Timmy and Derek can represent our program in something like this, it is always a positive."

All players were nominated by high school coaches and were selected to participate by a committee of high school coaches representing various conferences from across the state. Players were sorted by primary position then selected in draft. All the coaches drafted the four teams as a group, then drew the teams out of hat to determine which team the coaches would coach.

Last year's event was attended by over 40 college coaches and professional scouts, the including Major League Scouting Bureau and college coaches from Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Other notable former high school players who have played in the classic include former Razorbacks Jalen Beeks (Prairie Grove), Tyler Spoon, Sam Bates and Barrett Astin.

Sports on 06/17/2014