Eagle's View Academy catcher Austin Maddox has spent six years on the varsity team; he's hoping to win the school's fourth state title in five years.
Austin Maddox of Eagle’s View Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) is one of the top catchers in the country. But given the chance, he just might be one of the top pitchers, too.
Ranked as one of the top three catchers in the country by nearly every ranking service, Maddox has a pop time of under 2.0 seconds and he has the hitting eye and power that makes him lethal at the plate.
But put him on the mound, and Maddox can throw with just about anyone in the country. He proved it at the Aflac All-American Game last summer when he pitched the final inning and a third and got the win for the East in a 4-2 victory over the West.
Maddox did not give up a hit and struck out two batters while hitting over 90 miles an hour on the radar gun.
“He has hit 96 miles per hour on the mound,” coach Terrance Freeman said. “He just has that drive to be the best.”
That being said, expect Maddox to be one of the first catchers called in the Major League draft in June. Last year he batted .515 with 50 hits, 12 home runs and 67 RBI.
Maddox is having a “down” year this season, batting “only” .500 with 29 hits in 58 at-bats. He also has six home runs on the season.
For opposing coaches and players, it seems like Maddox has been at Eagle’s View Academy forever. That’s because he first began playing on the varsity team when he was just in sixth grade.
“I’ve been on the team six years as a player and four years as a starter,” Maddox said. “I played my first varsity game when I was in sixth grade and I was pretty nervous.”
Freeman never had a doubt that Maddox, who hit a home run over the fence on the big field when he was just seven years old, would turn out to be such a special player.
“I saw that drive in him when he was just 11 years old,” Freeman said. “He is the hardest worker on the field and he has that power at the plate that just draws everyone to their feet.”
As long as Maddox has been on the team, the Warriors have been winners. After winning a state championship in 2005, the Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008. Eagle’s View was 25-8 last year, defeating Cambridge 8-6 in the Florida 1A state championship game at Sarasota. Maddox went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI in the win.
This year, Eagle’s View Academy is expected to challenge for the state title again. The Warriors are off to a good start as they captured the district championship on Thursday with a 15-0 win over Gainesville St. Francis. EVA (19-8) outscored its opponents 33-0 in the two district playoff games with Maddox hitting a home run in each of the wins.
“We started off the season kind of slow, but we are beginning to play a lot better now,” Maddox said. “We should make the final four and win state again because we have experience and leadership. My goal is to win another state title.”
Among those with experience on the team include outfielders Kyle Russo and Zac Houck along with North Carolina State signee Mathew Bergquist. Russo got the win against St. Francis while Houck had a triple and Bergquist had three triples.
A look at Eagle’s View Academy’s schedule and it’s easy to see why they got off to a slow start this year. Among the losses include a 7-3 defeat at the hands of Columbus, the top-ranked team in Georgia, nationally-ranked Lakeland and defending state champion Dunedin.
Playing on the big stage is nothing new for Maddox. Besides playing in three state championship games and participating in the Aflac All-American Game, Maddox also played for Team USA and won a gold medal – an event he calls his most memorable moment on the baseball field.
A straight-A student, Maddox has already signed to play with Florida next year, where he could end up catching fellow Gator signee Patrick Schuster, who recently saw his streak of four consecutive no-hitters come to an end.
However Maddox may also get the chance to test the minor league market following the Major League draft in June.
“Getting drafted would be a dream come true if it does happen,” he said. “It is something I have worked my whole life for.”
