SEA VIEW LEAGUE BASEBALL PREVIEW : Talk’s Fine, but Hagins Would Rather Play

Stephan Hagins, University High School’s catcher, doesn’t listen to the talk. Talk’s cheap.

So Baseball America thinks he’s the 17th best high school prospect in the nation?

Who cares that USA Today considers him among the 25 best in the USA?

So what if every college coach and professional scout has been falling all over themselves to get a moment of his time?

Hagins has more important things to worry about.

“I can’t let this be an ego thing,” Hagins said. “The attention is nice, but you have to do more than talk.”

He has, which is what put him under a microscope in the first place.

Hagins has been on the Trojan varsity for three years, building himself into the type of ballplayer people fawn over. He’s a solid defensive catcher who can hit for average and power. A rare commodity.

“I have never seen a better player in my nine years I’ve been here,” University Coach Chris Conlin said. “He just has God-given ability. He’s a natural.”

At times, it does look that easy for Hagins.

He had two home runs and a school-record eight runs batted in in a 14-5 victory over Woodbridge last season. He was seven for 14 with 10 RBIs in the Trojans’ two games that week and knocked in the winning run in a 5-4 victory over Corona del Mar.

In the Coachella Valley tournament, he went nine for 12 and hit three home runs.

Hagins hit .468 with six home runs and 28 RBIS last season and was named third-team All-Southern Section 3-A.

“Everybody has a talent for something,” Hagins said. “Baseball just comes real easy for me.”

And he has worked to keep it that way.

Hagins was an unsure freshman trying out for the Trojan baseball team. He had played ball since he was 9, but didn’t regard himself as anything special.

“I was just trying not to make a fool of myself,” Hagins said.

So imagine his surprise when he made the varsity.

“I was stunned,” he said.

Hagins spent time on the varsity and junior varsity that season. He was demoted after an 0-for-5 performance; the only time he made contact, he hit into a double play. He was back a few weeks later and hit nearly .600 the remainder of the season.

Hagins finished with a .321 average and was named honorable mention All-Sea View League.

“I learned poise that year,” Hagins said. “At first, I was wondering what I was doing at that level. But by the end of the season, I knew I belonged there.”

Hagins hit .368 with three home runs as a sophomore and was named second-team all-league. He also began to develop his skills behind the plate.

“When he was a freshman, he was like a rock,” Conlin said. “He was this mass that a ballplayer was chiseled (from). He did the work.”

Hagins stayed after practice to work on his catching skills. He also signed up for almost every summer, fall and winter league possible.

All that work drew some attention.

“That was the first year a scout approached me,” Hagins said. “I remember the guy asking me what grade I was in. When I told him I was a sophomore, he was kind of surprised.”

Hagins beefed up before last season, adding 20 pounds. He is now 6 feet and 205 pounds.

The added size increased his power. According to Conlin, Hagins hit four home runs that went more than 400 feet.

“He had this one that went at least 430,” Conlin said. “After that, her started getting some publicity.”

It hasn’t stopped.

As many as 20 scouts attended his winter league games, and rarely a day goes by that someone doesn’t drop by practice.

A lesser player might even be intimidated.

“Actually, I like the pressure,” Hagins said. “It puts me on the spot, and I have to produce.”