WSU baseball’s next 3B can throw 95 and ‘hit the ball out any park in the country’
Replacing Alec Bohm, the No. 3 pick in this summer’s Major League Baseball draft, at third base may sound like an impossible task for the Wichita State baseball team.
But the Shockers feel like they have an up-and-coming talent in Paxton Wallace to keep the high level of production coming at third base.
Wallace, from Greenbriar, Ark., will make a homecoming on Friday when the Shockers play at Arkansas in a 14-inning exhibition game.
“He actually reminds me of Bohm,” WSU manager Todd Butler said. “They’re obviously different body types, but Paxton can really swing the bat like Alec and has a lot of power to all fields. And just like Alec, he needs to improve defensively. I’m excited to watch him grow these next few years.”
Wallace, who was ranked as the No. 9 third baseman in his class, signed with WSU knowing he would not be able to play his preferred position for at least one season. The hot corner was reserved for Bohm, who delivered a junior campaign that shot him up draft boards.
Meanwhile, Wallace was in and out of the lineup, sometimes playing in the outfield, sometimes just pinch hitting. He appeared in 27 games his freshman season and hit .281 in 57 at-bats.
“I saw he was going through a lot of the same things I went through my freshman season,” Bohm said. “I was just running around trying not to get yelled at, just trying to keep up. So I just tried to slow it down for him and give him little tips here and there to help him get comfortable.”
The relationship between the two could have been tense. They’re both competitive players at the same position. But Bohm’s easy-going personality meshed perfectly with Wallace and the two became close friends throughout the season.
“I was concerned about keeping Paxton happy and hoping he would return for his sophomore year because we were counting on him being a guy for us this year,” Butler said. “Him and Alec built a really good relationship standing at third base taking ground balls every day. Alec really did a great job of taking him under his wing and teaching him. Now, it’s Paxton’s turn.”
“There’s nothing wrong with playing behind Bohm,” Wallace said. “He’s a great player and a great guy to play behind.”
Armed with the wisdom and knowledge Bohm has passed on, Wallace is ready to be an everyday player for the Shockers in his sophomore season.
“I think that’s going to allow me to bring the same mentality every day and just get after it,” Wallace said. “I’ve worked this summer on smoothing up my defensive actions. I changed my leg kick to a toe tap and that’s helped smooth my swing out. Now I feel like everything is in rhythm.”
While the defense is still a work-in-progress, Wallace’s bat and arm has WSU ecstatic about his future.
“We knew when he got here that he was going to be a really good player and he’s going to have a great year,” Bohm said. “He can throw 95 mph off the mound and hit the ball out of any park in the country.”