True student of the game, VH’s Wells to attend ABAC

Whether it’s as a student of the game of baseball or a student of math and sciences, Micah Wells is a 4.0 type at Veterans High School.

“Picking up Micah is a big deal for us,” said Kilgore. “He blocks up a lot of the plate, and he does a good job receiving balls and throwing balls. He does a great job swinging the bat. We’re excited about his versatility, and we think he will be a big part of ABAC’s future.”

Wells said he was most taken in by ABAC’s atmosphere and the people on the campus.

“The coach is outstanding,” said Wells. “Coach (Chris) Pierce took me down there for a tryout. I hit, caught and pitched, and I already fell in love with it.”

At Veterans High, under head coach David Coffey, Wells started out playing the corner bases in the infield. Coffey eventually had a much more pressing need for this 6-foot-3 prospect.

“Micah is a guy who is an ultimate team player,” said Coffey. “I said, ‘I need you to catch.’ He didn’t argue, just said, ‘I need some gear.’ The rest is history.”

The coach said Wells wasn’t a complete novice about going behind the plate when he made this request. Still, there was a need for some refinement to Wells’ skills. Coffey said Wells has worked with Warner Robins native and former professional catcher Mark Johnson and others over the past two years.

“Tip your hat to Micah. He’s a tremendously hard worker,” said Coffey. “He’s a coach out there behind the plate. He understands what our pitching coach (Pierce) is trying to do. If it’s 0-2, he’s going to tell the pitcher to get the ball out or up or down, don’t leave it here.”

“Micah has a tremendous upside because he’s so big,” said Coffey. “That’s the kind of thing you can’t teach. He has a ton of power, and he’s a student of the game. That’s one of the intangibles scouts look for.”

Kilgore, for one, said this signing represents the trend ABAC is moving towards in bringing in those players who are just as strong academically as athletically.

“That’s been our focus,” he said. “Grades are important because at some point your baseball career will be over and you have to get a job. Having kids who are academically successful is very important to us.”

“My parents always taught me to work hard,” said Wells, the son of Mike and Gina Wells. “I always took pride in my school work, study, do my homework.”

He didn’t take the easy route, either, for his favorite classes are in math and science.

“I plan to major in engineering,” said Wells. “My dad had some influence on me, and my brother. I’m actually leaning towards electrical engineering. My dad does that, and my brother, so I think I’m next in line.”

“That was a blast,” he said. “I always wanted to go to the Little League World Series, and we did and we won it. I’ll never forget it. I’ll be able to tell my kids about it when I grow older.

“It taught me to do my best, try as hard as I can and never give up. I just grew stronger and worked harder on my mechanics. I got to high school and it turned out great.

“We have stuff going for us (at Veterans). We’re going to go far in the playoffs, I think.”

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