Ten year old Forest Park native, Dylan Bartlett, came in first in the Pitch Hit and Run contest at Wrigley Field on Memorial Day. He was presented with a plaque, introduced to the crowd during the pre-game ceremonies and may have a chance to compete for a trip to the All Star Game.
“I am happy that I won and now have a chance to go to the All-Star game, that would be cool,” he said.
Dylan qualified for the Major League-sponsored event at Sectionals on Mother’s Day in Chicago Ridge. Dylan hit the target with his pitches 6 out of 6 times. In the hitting contest, he batted off a tee and aimed at a line in center field. He ended-up with the best distance and accuracy. Finally, Dylan ran from second base to home in 9.25 seconds-flat on a diamond with 90 foot base paths.
Dylan has been working hard for this competition, practicing in batting cages at Stella’s in Lyons and having his dad, Kevin, pitch to him in the Forest Park cages. Kevin Bartlett competed in MLB Pitch Hit and Run himself when he was a kid.
Dylan plays for two different teams in Forest Park: one is a traveling team and the other is the Giants in the Minors. Dylan plays first base and pitcher but his favorite position is catcher, as White Sox catcher A. J. Pierzynski is his role model. About Wrigley Field, Dylan said it was “Awesome, a great experience. But I am still a Sox fan.”
After finishing first on the Wrigley Field diamond, Dylan could someday be shagging balls during the All-Star Home Run Derby.
