Breaking down 2022 BJCL batting leaders

Creche Innovations Stars LF Jake Miller (Vandegrift [Texas]/Southeastern Oklahoma State) took the batting title with a .465 average, but Natural Baseball Academy SS Blake Venneman (Olathe East/Allen CC) claimed the on-base percentage crown (.560).

Miller also finished second in on-base percentage (.540) and fifth in slugging (.676), while Venneman placed third in batting average (.420).

When it came to power, nobody matched Raiders 1B Frankie Circello (Staley/Marshall [West Virginia]). He socked eight home runs during the regular season, two more than any other player.

BJ Raiders 1B Frankie Circello (right) slides head first into first base next to Adapt Physical Therapy Prospects 1B Tyler Marchand (left) during the Ban Johnson Collegiate League All-Star Game.

Building Champions C Sam McAleer (Blue Valley/Wichita State) and Adapt Physical Therapy Prospects 1B Christian Miles (Lee’s Summit North/Metropolitan CC) each hit six to tie for second, while Stars 3B Joseph Daneff (Park Hill/Emporia State) and KC Knights LF BJ Walker (Piper/Park) tied for fourth with five home runs each.

Circello also posted the top slugging percentage (.746) and had the most RBIs (27).

Daneff also tied for the league lead in RBIs and finished fifth in on-base percentage (.500).

His younger brother, Stars 3B Jake Daneff (Park Hill/Emporia State), finished fourth in average (.415) and on-base percentage (.530).

Meanwhile, McAleer posted the top OPS (1.218), edging out Circello (1.218) and Miller (1.216), and also tied for second in slugging (.701) and finished third in on-base percentage (.538).

Miles also posted a .701 slugging percentage, while Building Champions 1B Wyatt Morgan finished fourth in slugging (.685).

Miles (1.183) and Morgan (1.178) also rounded out the top five in OPS, while Miles and Miller tied for third in the league with 23 RBIs.

Three players — McAleer, Stars 1B Caden Matlon (Grain Valley/Dodge City CC) and MBC Academy Macaws C Hunter Moffet (St. Thomas Aquinas/Benedictine) — tied for fifth with 21 RBIs.

Moffet also posted the second-highest batting average (.422)

Ban Johnson Legends RF Darius Freeman (Shawnee Mission Northwest/Kansas City Kansas CC), who won the 2022 BJCL All-Star Game MVP, finished fifth in batting average (.397).

Moffet’s Macaws teammate, SS Ashton Neuman (Palm Coast [Florida]/Benedictine), led the league in stolen bases (26), while Freeman’s Legends teammate, CF Caleb Adams (Lansing/Kansas City Kansas CC), finished second (21).

MSBL Royals CF Josh Holmes (Shawnee Mission West/Butler CC), Prospects RF Jacob Butash (Gardner Edgerton/Newman) and Milgram Mustangs 2B Peyton Lewis (Blue Springs/Baker) rounded out the top five in steals with 17, 15 and 14, respectively.