Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian Conquerors’ baseball had two players drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2016 amateur draft. Pitcher/outfielder J.C. Flowers (18th round) and outfielder Todd Lott (20th round) both elected college this year after graduating last spring, but they will likely have more opportunities to play professional baseball in the future.
The Conquerors still have much more talent, and one of their top players has also garnered interest from Major League clubs. This past summer, senior pitcher A.J. Labas was invited to Major League Baseball’s East Coast Pro at the New York Yankees’ training complex in Tampa, Florida. The showcase featured representatives from six Major League teams east of the Mississippi River: Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers.
Approximately 150 of the top high school players in the country attended the five-day showcase. All are considered draft prospects in the upcoming 2017 MLB draft next June.
Labas was selected by Major League scouts who attended Trinity Christian games last spring. They were so impressed with the right-hander’s velocity, poise, and control that they invited him to a June tryout and gave him the choice of attending either in Valdosta or Atlanta, both in Georgia.
Labas chose the one-day tryout session in Valdosta. He then waited one month to hear that he had made the East Coast Pro team. “I got my call after the Fourth of July that I made the team and would be representing the Baltimore Orioles, which consisted of players from North Orlando, North Florida, and all of Georgia,” Labas said.
When asked how he felt he compared with the other pitchers in attendance, Labas told In the Game Magazine, “A few of the other pitchers may have thrown harder than me, but they lacked the control that the scouts looked for most.” He thought he was the most consistent pitcher in throwing strikes and keeping the ball down in the zone. Labas’s fastball averages in the low 90s and topped out at 94 mph during the spring season at Trinity.
Labas shared his thoughts about participating in a Major League camp, the look and feel of the experience, and the nuances of being a Major Leaguer.
“East Coast Pro was a big eye opener for me as it simulated what professional baseball would be like, such as staying at a team hotel where parents were not allowed to stay,” Labas said. “We were chartered by bus every day to the stadium and back. We had our uniforms washed and hung in our lockers at the stadium every day. I appreciated the time the professional scouts took to get to know me as a player and a person.”
After spending his freshman year at Eagle’s View Academy, Labas transferred to Trinity as a sophomore for the 2014-15 school year, and he made an immediate impact on the field for his head coach, Gil Morales, and his pitching coach, Tim Brown. He has also made an impact in the classroom as an honor-roll student whom all his teachers welcome into their classes.
A.J. loves both the team and his school, much in part due to the comradery of the student body, especially among his teammates. Not just the varsity players lend each other support. Morales and his staff make the entire program feel like a family from the junior high team up through two J.V. teams and to the varsity team.
“Playing here at Trinity has been everything I could have asked for and more,” Labas said. “It has made me a better person and a better athlete. Everybody pushes each other to make sure we are all getting better each day we’re at the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom. It’s like one big family that cares about me and all the other players here.”
The Conquerors won their first Florida state championship in 2015 as they took the Class 4A honor following a 22-6 regular-season record. Labas pitched the semifinal game and cheered his team on in the final as hard as anyone else in attendance.
Labas has played baseball for 13 years. He is part of an athletic family that includes his twin sister Elizabeth, who was a starter on Trinity’s varsity girls basketball team. During the same season in which A.J. and his team won a state championship in baseball, the Lady Conquerors won their first-ever basketball district title in school history. Elizabeth now attends and plays for Fleming Island High School.
A.J. is a devout Christian with strong moral values. He respects authority and has only kind words for others. He leads by example and lets his actions and performance speak for him. In his own words, he lives by the motto, “Work in silence, and let success be your noise.”
Labas gives all the glory to God: “Without him, everything I do is not possible.” His life verse is Philippians 4:13, which states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
When asked what advice he would give to younger players hoping to play high school, college, or professional baseball, A.J. said, “Dream big, never give up, and don’t let anyone say you can’t play or aren’t good enough. The big schools are not always the best option. Find somewhere you can make an impact as a freshman. Do the extra work. There is always someone wanting to take your spot.”
Labas has received offers from several Division 1 colleges, but he has verbally committed to continue his education and playing career at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He has a chance, though, at playing professional baseball before long as his invitation to the East Coast Pro would indicate.
ITG Web Content
Trinity Christian’s A.J. Labas Pitches at Major League Camp
Written by Raymond Bureau
Photo courtesy of Trinity Christian
