West Boca Raton baseball player Corey Kling has been voted the ITG Next Florida Male Athlete of the Month for April 2023, which comes as a result of his on-field play during March. Kling, a senior, received 45.78% of the possible votes over a list of three additional finalists.
Kling, a South Florida commit, had a major impact toward the on-field success of the West Boca Raton baseball team – which went 8-3 in March – doing it both at the plate and on the mound.
The right-hander made five appearances in March, allowing only one earned run in 27.2 IP. Kling also recorded an impressive 46:4 K:BB ratio during that span, while allowing only 10 hits.
Several of Kling’s pitching performances stood out in March, the first of which came in an 8-1 win over Boca Raton. Kling pitched six innings of no-earned run ball in the contest, while allowing only one hit and two walks, and striking out 11.
Then there was a 3-0 win over Pembroke Pines Charter in which Kling went 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and two walks, and striking out 14. Kling also impressed in a 6-0 win over NSU University, going seven scoreless innings with four hits allowed while striking out 9.
Offensively, Kling batted .375 AVG (9-for-24) for the month, with 4 RBI, 2 doubles, and a stolen base. He had three multi-hit games, with his top performance coming in a 7-4 win over Calvary Christian-Fort Lauderdale in which he went 3-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, and 3 RBI.
“He’s been probably the most impactful player we’ve had for sure,” West Boca Raton head baseball coach Jerry Albert said. “When he gets on the mound, he gives us a great chance of winning. I think he’s definitely hit another level on the mound, and he’s put himself into a position where he’s drawing a lot of interest from the pro guys down here. He’s proved that he’s one of the top elite arms in South Florida.
“He’s done a great job,” Albert added. “He’s been fantastic for us.”
One of the state’s top overall pitchers so far this season, Kling owns a 3-0 record with a 0.78 ERA, along with a 68:12 K:BB ratio in 44.2 IP. Kling has held opponents to a .149 AVG against during that span, and he had allowed only 5 earned runs through April 22.
“He has a gift, and some kids just have it where the fastball kind of explodes out of their hand, and he has that,” Albert said. “He’s a very athletic young man, so to have such an athletic kid on the mound, it’s always a great benefit, not only fielding his position, but also just being able to make adjustments that he has to make during the game.
“He’s got an excellent fastball, and gets good movement and explosion on it, and he is also able to locate it,” Albert continued. “The slider is terrific, and his changeup is terrific also. I think when you have a kid like that going out there and competing, especially somebody that throws strikes and competes as well as he does, it lifts the whole team up when he’s on the mound because they feel like they have a great shot of getting the win that day.”
At the plate Kling is slashing .347/.507/.448 with a .956 OPS, along with having added 11 RBI, 5 doubles, and 4 stolen bases.
“Offensively, he’s been very good as well,” Albert said. “He’s been very productive at the plate. He’s not only a talented kid, but he’s got a good, high level of competitiveness in him. Being an excellent competitor is what really gives him a chance to do very well at the next level, because he competes. He’s not a kid that just has tools. He’s a very, very competitive young man, and confident as well. He’s got the whole package.”
Once again, congratulations to West Boca Raton baseball player Corey Kling, the ITG Next Florida April 2023 Male Athlete of the Month.
