Scottsdale Progress 03-13-22

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SPORTS & RECREATION

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MARCH 13, 2022

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Homegrown talent Wes Kath’s journey to pro baseball

BY MICK SIGNA Progress Contributing Writer

F

or former Desert Mountain High School baseball star Wes Kath, dreams have become reality.

Kath graduated from Desert Mountain in 2021 as a four-year varsity starter. Kath was called up as a freshman, impressing the coaches during fall ball and tryouts. His call up to play for the varsity team was impressive because not only was he so young, it was on a team that consistently made the state playoffs every season.

Kath’s freshman season didn’t stand out as much as his others, posting an underwhelming .216 batting average in 44 plate appearances. But he opened the eyes of his coaches when he recorded a base hit against one of the top pitchers in the state and country in Matthew Liberatore from Mountain Ridge.

“I �irst met Wes when he was 12 years old, playing against him in a tournament,” said Desert Mountain pitching coach Danny Patterson. “I knew early on there was something special about him and when he �inally came to Desert Mountain, I was so excited.”

In his �inal season in 2021, he was able to capture the 5A state championship, closing the game out on the mound and hitting a 450-foot home run in his �inal at bat.

“It was like a storybook ending. Everything about the season was just like building up to that moment,” said Kath.

“Special things have to happen to win a championship and they did.”

He �inished his high school career with a .435 batting average, 101 hits, 80 RBIs and 21 home runs in 84 games.

He also was named Gatorade’s Player of the Year in Arizona for baseball.

After his state championship season,

Wes Kath, a 2021 Desert Mountain grad, turned dreams into a reality last year when he was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the second round of the MLB Draft.

He signed a deal with the White Sox to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional baseball player. (Courtesy Wes Kath)

Kath was projected to become a �irstround draft pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.

The question soon became whether he would stick with Arizona State University, which gave him a scholarship, or become a professional baseball player.

“ASU would have been a great �it, but we both de�initely agreed on the fact

that he was ready to take it to that next level immediately,” said University of Arizona commit and high school teammate Luke Moeller. “From a physical standpoint he looks like a big leaguer.”

Most MLB mock drafts had Kath sitting as a late-�irst to early-second round pick. The Chicago White Sox se-

ASU would have been a great fit, but we both definitely agreed on the fact that he was ready to take it to that next level immediately. From a physical standpoint he looks like a big leaguer.”

lected him with pick No. 57 in the late second round.

“I was de�initely disappointed,” Kath said of not being taken in the �irst round. “But I ended up going to a team I really liked. The opportunity was perfect for my family, so I’m not going to complain about the spot I’m in.”

Kath was able to draw both pro and college-level scouts to most of his games throughout high school.

Nine players that were on the Desert Mountain team from Kath’s sophomore year to senior year were able to grab scholarships to play baseball at the next level, all the way from Division I programs to junior colleges.

“We were all so used to it,” said Moeller about the number of scouts that would come to games. “Those guys were there to see him (Kath) and we can only reap the bene�its of them coming to see us play.”

Kath just �inished his �irst stint of play after the draft in the Arizona Complex League or as it’s better known as the AZL, which is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league. He was able to record his �irst hit and home run as a professional, but now is in a waiting game to see if he will take the �ield in the spring due to the ongoing lockout.

Kath gives credit to his dad, Dan, for being a major in�luence on the opportunities he got for baseball. He was with him every step of the way, traveling from showcase to showcase and all of the big life decisions that were made.

Now he’s one step closer to watching his son play Major League Baseball someday.

“It’s so fun, I loved this �irst year,” said Kath. “Just being with the different guys and all the coaches—the staff on the White Sox was great . . . it’s de�initely cool to step on the �ield with the White Sox uniform on.”