Trevor Elliott earned 18 player of the game awards on the MaxPreps website during his baseball career at Mountain Empire High School.
It was a tribute to his talent.
Some notables:
Elliott played four varsity seasons for the Red Hawks, from 2016 through 2019.
He compiled some prodigious numbers while on the mound, recording 26 wins and 458 strikeouts in 265 innings to go with a career 1.95 earned-run average. He limited opposing hitters to a meager .129 batting average over the four-year period.
He was just as much an impact player at the plate with a career .466 batting average with 24 doubles, one home run and 72 RBI in 80 games.He also stole 28 bases in 28 attempts and recorded a .890 fielding percentage.
But he made his biggest impression on the hill.
He led the nation with 168 strikeouts in 2019, according to statistics compiled by MaxPreps.
He struck lout 19 batters in a 6-1 Citrus League win at Ocean View Christian Academy on May 9, 2019, to set a new school record for a seven-inning game.
He became only third pitcher in San Diego Section history to throw more than 400 strikeouts and is firmly entrenched as the No. 2 leader all-time in the section record book.
He also ranks third in the section record book for most strikeouts recorded in one season and is tied for the section lead with three no-hitters in one season.
The section record for most career strikeouts in 495 set by Michael Fagan of the San Diego Jewish Academy from 2007-10. Fagan also holds the single-season record at 181 and remains tied for the most strikeouts in a seven-inning game (with Victory’s Terry O’Dell Jr.) at 21.
Elliott’s no-hitters came against Victory Christian (Feb. 24, 2018), Calvary Christian Academy (April 19, 2018) and Borrego Springs (May 8, 2018).
The six-foot-one, 195-pound righthand pitcher is now playing for San Diego Mesa College after finishing his prep career with an appearance at the 2019 San Diego Section All-Star game.
The former Mountain Empire and Alpine Little Leaguer is hoping to continue advancing up the baseball ladder.
“I am an all-around player, but my favorite spot is on the pitching mound,” the Campo resident stated on a social media site. “I am a committed player and when I say committed, I am 100 percent.
“My dreams to one day play for the big leagues could be just around the corner, but for now I am taking baby steps and hoping to be looked at by scouts for college.”
Those “baby steps” might seem like giant strides to others.
He started 10 games his high school freshman year in 2016 by compiling a 7-3 win-loss record with 53 strikeouts in 40 innings to complement a modest 4.23 ERA.
He bettered his statistics in each of the next three seasons as he transformed from a teenager to a man.
As a sophomore in 2017, he appeared in 15 games with a 2.44 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 66 innings.
As a junior in 2018, he posted a 9-2 record with a 1.58 ERA and six complete games, three shutouts and three no-hitters. He logged 146 strikeouts in 80 innings.
He crowned his senior year with a 6-3 record in 15 game appearances to go with a sterling 0.39 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 71 innings.
He was virtually unhittable by holding opponents to a minuscule 0.060 hitting average.
He concluded his high school career with a composite 26-15 record, 10 complete games, four shutouts and three no-hitters. While striking out 458 batters, he allowed 132 walks.
His strikeouts-to-walks ratio was 168/37 as a senior. His top fastball was clocked at 88 mph.
He also found time to suit up for 22 boys basketball games as a junior at Mountain Empire High School. He averaged nine points per game to rank third overall in team scoring.
San Diego Mesa College is a long drive from Campo but Elliott has kept the faith.
During the Olympians’ shortened season due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Elliott logged eight community college game appearances with 18 strikeouts in 14 innings.
He’s hoping to continue to advance his career and hope people continue to watch him.
