After playing wide receiver on the Buffaloes football team that made it to the Class 5A state championship game this past fall, senior Lleyton Bass is ready to turn his attention to the baseball diamond. He’ll once again play center field wearing the number 3 jersey which he has worn ever since he started playing baseball when he was three-years old with a team called the Mets.
Having played on the big stage in football where he had 34 catches for 467 yards and 10 touchdowns and being a senior puts Lleyton in a unique position to pass some knowledge along to his baseball teammates.
“Being in pressure situations during football I feel can carry over to baseball and gives me the ability to share my knowledge of how to handle those situations with my teammates which can help a lot,” said Bass who carries a 4.0 GPA academically.
Baseball coach Justin Mullins says that Lleyton is an Unsung Hero of the baseball team. So, what does that mean to Bass?
“During a game I might not be the player that sticks out the most but behind the scenes I try to be the most positive about everything. I try to lead by example and play hard no matter what.”
Growing up, Lleyton admired the play of former Yankees Hall of Fame relief pitcher Mariano Rivera.
“Whenever he walked out of the bullpen to close a game there was an energy you felt that was unmatched.”
Lleyton describes himself as having heart, hustle and passion with the latter being the most important to him.
“Passion is the most important because without passion it wouldn’t be fun to play the game.”
Bass relies on words of wisdom to guide his life that he’s gotten from his dad and coach Mullins.
Coach Mullins told me to play the game like you know how to play it and that’s important to me because anytime I get in a pressure situation, I always go back and think about that. My dad taught me that quitters never get anywhere in life.”
In his spare time, Lleyton likes the great outdoors either hunting or being on the water wakeboarding or at the ocean surfing. After he leaves MHS Bass says he would like to be remembered as the kid who played hard no matter what.
