When you scan a high school or college baseball roster, you usually see familiar position pairings: INF/OF, 1B/3B, 1B/C, or some variation of pitcher-plus-position player.
But when you see Philly Bandits Black standout Kenny Lutz listed as catcher/shortstop, it makes you pause.
It is one of the rarest combinations in baseball — and Lutz has been making it work since he was young.
“I’m always trying to be versatile,” Lutz said. “I grew up playing shortstop, catcher and some center field.”
His versatility is not new. Lutz once played all nine positions during a three-weekend stretch with his 15U summer travel team.
Primarily a catcher throughout his career with the Hatboro-Horsham baseball program, Lutz was asked to fill a major void this past spring when the Hatters’ starting shortstop suffered an injury.
“My coach went to me and asked, ‘Kenny, can you play shortstop?’” Lutz said with a laugh. “I said yes, and that was pretty much it.”
Lutz handled the move so well that he is now headed to Division II Chestnut Hill College next season as a shortstop.
“It speaks to the work he’s put into it,” Philly Bandits Black assistant coach Nolan Shelinski said.
The combination is unusual, but Shelinski said Lutz’s athleticism makes it possible.
“We have him catch every three games here, depending on the pitchers,” Shelinski said. “But you see his mobility, his horizontal and lateral movement at shortstop — it’s crazy. You don’t typically see catcher and shortstop as the two positions written down for a player.”
That range showed up on the final play of a 10-4 win Thursday, when Lutz moved to his right in the hole and made a strong, long throw across the diamond to seal the victory.
“Being a catcher helps me play shortstop mostly with my mobility and hand-eye coordination,” Lutz said.
He was also a major factor at the plate. Lutz collected three hits, drove in two runs, and scored twice to help Philly Bandits Black improve to 4-1 in the early part of the summer season.
“He’s been our guy,” Shelinski said. “He’s been atop the order every game. He’s played almost every inning at shortstop, and he’s made every play. He’s seeing the ball at the plate, and he’s been one of the leaders overall for the team.”
For Lutz, the lesson is simple. Versatility can open doors, especially for players hoping to extend their careers beyond high school.
“Play all over,” Lutz said. “It’s going to help you in the long run, especially if you want to play at the college level. Coaches know if you can hit, they can put you anywhere.”
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