Learning from best Putty’s goal
HUNTLEY — Huntley baseball player AJ Putty’s diamond career will be guided by head coaches with a combined better than 1,000 career victories.
Putty, a 2023-24 junior, is one of this season’s commits to the University of Illinois baseball program. The Illinois head coach, Dan Hartleb, has amassed 532 victories in 19 seasons at Illinois. Putty’s prep coach at Huntley, Andy Jakubowski, earned career win No. 500 last season and totals 514 overall wins.
“Putty visited Eastern Illinois and U of I – there were other schools but he chose not to go on a visit,” Jakubowski said. “AJ is a gap to gap hitter with power and good understanding of the strike zone. He has the potential to be a two-way guy (pitcher and infielder) with an upper 80s MPH fastball and a good change up.”
Putty is the son of Brian and Cheryl Putty. His older brother Dillon is a freshman playing baseball at McHenry County College.
Putty was selected all-Fox Valley Conference last season. HHS was 29-8 and won the FVC at 16-4 and a regional title last season.
Putty reflected on how he chose Illinois, which is looking at him mainly for first base.
“For my college decision it was a very tough decision,” Putty said. “What made me choose Illinois was the way they operate down there. The coaches at Illinois are great and they welcomed me when I went on my visit. I also wanted to stay close to home so it was a perfect choice. Also my mom (Cheryl) went there so she was very supportive – it was my decision.”
The third baseman, first baseman and pitcher has good reasons to look forward to play for Hartleb. The Big Ten program has had four NCAA appearances, 25 All-Americans and more than 90 players selected in the MLB Draft. Hartleb gained his 500th win in 2022.
“It’s a huge honor to have the chance to play for coach Hartleb,” Putty said. “I’m a big fan of what he does on and off the field. He just does things the right way and is a great coach. It’s a great accomplishment but I have to keep working and getting better. For next season it will definitely be a target on my back,” Putty said.
The calendar will soon mean thoughts and work for 2024 baseball season is near.
“For this year we will be young because we lost a lot of seniors,” Putty said. “The hope is to win another FVC title and go far in the playoffs.”
The work with Jakubowski and in the future Hartleb continues what his youth baseball coaches have emphasized.
“Ever since I was 9-years-old, I’ve had Mike Dabe be my coach and he taught me how to play the game the right way,” Putty said. “He is still one of my travel coaches right now and he is still helping me to this day. Coach Jakubowski, I’ve had just since the beginning of high school and it’s been a pleasure to be on his team since freshman year.”
Even before organized baseball teams, mom Cheryl would help out with batting practice and take the Putty boys to their games.
Like his Red Raiders head coach, Putty follows the White Sox. “My favorite player is Freedie Freeman because I’ve always liked him growing up, and I’ve admired his game.”
Other seniors with hopes of college baseball are: pitcher Malachi Paplanus, who picked Wright State University for his commit; pitcher Colby Aschenbach chose Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa and pitcher Louis Siriano is a McHenry County College commit. Junior varsity players last season to make their choices known are Alex Simios to University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Kyle Larson for College of Lake County.
