LUKE MANN NAMED MISSOURI GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In its 33rd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Luke Mann of St. John Vianney High School as its 2017-18 Gatorade Missouri Baseball Player of the Year. Mann is the second Gatorade Missouri Baseball Player of the Year to be chosen from St. John Vianney High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Mann as Missouri’s best high school baseball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, Mann joins an elite alumni association of past state award winners in 12 sports, including Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo High School, Mich.), Jon Lester (2001-02, Bellarmine Preparatory School, Wash.), David Price (2003-04, Blackman High School, Tenn.), Clayton Kershaw (2005-06, Highland Park High School, Texas), Rick Porcello (2006-2007, Seaton Hall Preparatory School, N.J.) and Kris Bryant (2009-10, Bonanza High School, Nev.).
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior right-handed pitcher and third baseman had led the Golden Griffins (33-2) to the Class 5 state tournament at the time of his selection. Mann posted an 8-0 record with a 0.72 ERA, striking out 88 batters and allowing just 33 hits and 14 walks in 58.3 innings pitched. He also fired four complete games that included a no-hitter. He also batted .490 (51-for-104) with 10 home runs, 52 RBI, 26 runs scored, a .589 on-base percentage and a .942 slugging percentage through 35 games. A four-time First-First-Team Metro Catholic Conference selection, Mann is ranked as the state’s No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2018 by Prep Baseball Report.
A National Honor Society member, Mann has volunteered locally with the Sandwiches for the Poor program and the Homers for Health program to benefit the patients and families at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. He has also donated his time as a Special Olympics volunteer and earned the Marianist Award, presented to seniors who truly exemplify the traditions of a Marianist education.
“Luke is just phenomenal—the stats probably speak for themselves, but he is all that, without a doubt,” said Eric Gough, head coach at Fort Zumwalt West High. “I don’t think you’ll find a better kid in this state who is a better individual and has that talent.” Mann has maintained a 3.71 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a national letter of intent to play baseball on scholarship at the University of Missouri this fall.