Junior outfielder MJ Schley creates chaos as the leadoff hitter for Lincoln-Way East.
He has become an agent of change as well, moving from the bottom of the batting order to the top and becoming the engine that drives the Griffins’ offense. And he doesn’t see red or yellow.
“On this team, I always have the green light,” Schley said. “I go whenever I feel like the time is right. I always try to create pressure and gives us a great chance to score early.
“Whenever we steal, we tend to score first.”
That they did. Schley went 2-for-2, stole five bases, scored four times and drove in a run Thursday as the host Griffins rolled to an 11-1 SouthWest Suburban Blue win over Lockport in five innings.
Matt Hudik and Johnny Dwyer each had three three RBIs for Lincoln-Way East (13-9, 6-1) in Frankfort. Junior designated hitter Logan Nagle added an RBI for the Porters (12-8-1, 4-4).
Schley, meanwhile, was a whirling dervish on the base paths. His wheels were always in motion, shaping and influencing the moments of the game that sparked the Griffins.
Although he has played all three outfield positions this season, Schley started in center field and made a spectacular diving catch against Adam Kozak, who is Lockport’s leadoff hitter.
Lincoln-Way East’s Tyler Bell (6) and MJ Schley (5) celebrate after Matt Hudik’s single drove them in against Lockport during a SouthWest Suburban Blue game in Frankfort on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
This sounds a lot like his father Joey, the former Providence football and baseball standout.
”My dad played the game and made the minor leagues,” MJ said. “I’ve put in a lot of time working with him, and I just see now how everything’s starting to pay off.
“That first play of the game, that just came from all the fly balls I’ve worked with him.”
Lincoln-Way East coach John McCarthy shifted Schley from batting ninth to the leadoff spot beginning with Monday’s game. What followed was 12-2 victory for the Griffins at Lockport.
They have scored double-figure runs in the three games since that shift.
Lincoln-Way East’s MJ Schley (5) dives for a ball in center field against Lockport during a SouthWest Suburban Blue game in Frankfort on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
“He creates so much energy for us,” McCarthy said of Schley. “When you have that type of aggressiveness on the base path, it sets a tone for the whole team.
“The reason we put him in the leadoff is his MJ’s ability to get on, his speed and how he creates chaos on the base paths. His aggressiveness really turned the game right away.”
A wide receiver for Lincoln-Way East’s Class 8A state runner-up football team, the 6-foot Schley has made an immediate difference in his first season of playing varsity baseball.
He combines sturdy size, speed, quickness and the ability to make contact at the plate.
“He is just a baseball player,” McCarthy said. “He has great instincts. He plays very hard, and he plays with confidence.”
The rest of the team also feeds off his two-way play.
“Gave us a great start with that diving catch on their first hitter,” Dwyer said. “We just fed off that.”
Lincoln-Way East’s MJ Schley, right, pops up safely on a steal at second base as Lockport’s Joey DalPonte waits for a ball during a SouthWest Suburban Blue game in Frankfort on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Vincent D. Johnson / Daily Southtown)
And then Schley stole all those bases, which is exactly what you need out of a leadoff hitter. He changes the team’s calculus from that spot, optimizing his plate appearances to alter the game.
“Now that I’m leading off, I don’t feel any kind of pressure,” Schley said. “I feel very loose up there because I know we have a lot of guys who can pick me up.
“I just try to ride that energy and bring it every time I’m up there.”
Schley is the oldest of three kids. His father reached the Single-A level with the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization. His mother, Katie, also was a standout athlete.
Everything is falling into place.
“I was a pretty small kid when I was younger,” Schley said. “I felt a little timid, but as soon as I started to get bigger, my confidence just took off. Now, I have this great competitive desire.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
