The 2017-18 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Baseball First Team was chosen by USA TODAY Sports’ Jim Halley in consultation with high school coaches.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: J.T. Ginn, Brandon
COACH OF THE YEAR: Steve Chapman, Calallen
MORE: First Team | Second Team | Third Team
PLAYER PROFILE:
Name: Brice Turang
Position: INF
School: Santiago (Corona, Calif.)
Height/Weight: 6-1/165
Bats/throws: Left/Right
Key stats: Hit .352 with 21 RBI and five homers and 23 runs in 88 at-bats.
College/pro: LSU signee/Drafted No. 21 overall by the Milwaukee Brewers
Greatest player I’ve taken a selfie with: Ken Griffey Jr., in spring training when I was around 12 and my date played for Seattle and we were at spring training in Peoria (Ariz.).
Breaking in a new glove: The two gloves I’ve used in the past, I’ve just played games with them and they’ve broken in the way I want them to.
My most influential man in baseball: Derek Jeter. He was more of a captain and played hard and gave 100 percent in everything he did and just enjoyed every moment.
My talent on America’s Got Talent: I honestly have no clue what I would do.
Favorite walk-up song: Probably Lift You Up by TobyMac.
Favorite batting order spot: One or two. You get a lot more at-bats and you get to see the pitcher earlier and recognize what he’s got and you can try to help other people.
First car driven and dream car: A Hyundai Elantra — it was a 1985. It would probably be a Ferrari.
Smartest thing I’ve done lately: Probably graduate high school.
Dumbest thing I’ve done lately: I haven’t done anything lately that’s pretty stupid.
Teacher of influence: My junior-year history teacher, Mrs. (Kimberley) Mead, was super cool and always did the right thing.
My biggest pet peeve: The way people chew, if you chew loud. I don’t know why, but it just gets on my nerves. I can be in a movie and hear people chewing.
My second-best sport is: Football. I played until I was a freshman and then I stopped. I was a quarterback, running around.
Most memorable home run hit: Probably this year, we were playing Coco Crisp’s high school team (Shadow Hills in Indio, Calif.). My first at-bat, I struck out badly and the next at-bat, I hit it out and after seeing it on video, it looked pretty cool.
The last time I tried to pitch: I haven’t pitched since I was in eighth grade. I don’t remember what happened.
Best scout advice: I try not to listen to the outside heat. The best advice someone has given me is focus on playing. Go out there, have fun and do your thing.