ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
KEVIN BARKER leads the Hokies in hitting, homers and RBI and is expected to be a high-round draft pick in the major-league draft next month.
Growing up in tiny Mendota, Kevin Barker never had to worry about ever stopping for a red light.
``It's just a little blink-of-the-eye town,'' Barker said. ``There's a couple of signs, maybe, but there's definitely no stoplight.''
Years later, there's still no stopping Barker. Virginia Tech's star center fielder remains on a run towards fulfilling his lifetime fantasy of playing professional baseball.
Barker's dream figures to become reality next month. The junior, rated the 24th-best college prospect by Baseball America, is a lock to be picked in major-league baseball's annual draft, which begins June 4.
By mid-June, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound farm boy will be working on a farm club somewhere.
``I have no clue where I'll be a month from now,'' Barker said. ``I could be anywhere in the world. Likely, it will be some small town far away somewhere. No matter where it is, it has to be bigger than Mendota,'' a tiny blip on the map 10 miles north of Bristol.
It's the small-town kid's big stick that has had professional scouts beating a path to Blacksburg this spring. The left-handed swinging Barker leads Tech in hitting (.376), home runs (20), runs batted in (62), runs (62), hits (71), walks (48) and on-base percentage (50.4) heading into tonight's start of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament in Boyertown, Pa.
``He's definitely the real deal,'' said Chuck Hartman, Hokies' coach. ``I think he's become one of the premier college outfielders in the country.
``He's going to be a nice pick for some club. I don't think there's any doubt he'll be playing for a check somewhere this summer.''
Barker's pro stock rose dramatically last year, when he hit a record 25 home runs in 82 games playing for a Baltimore-based team in a Mid-Atlantic summer league. A fellow named Reggie Jackson was the previous owner of the league's home-run mark.
``Playing in that league was the big turning point for me,'' Barker said. ``I played for a guy named Walter Youst, who's pretty much a god when it comes to baseball. Everybody knows him.
``He made me stand up a little straighter and drop my hands a little. And I started growing into hitting home runs.''
Barker's power surge has carried over at Tech this season. His 20 homers, an A-10 single-season record, were eight more than he hit in his first two college seasons combined.
``The power has just come,'' Barker said. ``I've bulked up a lot through weights, and it has started to pay off.''
Hartman, who has seen 35 of his players sign pro contracts in his 18 years at Tech, said Barker is deserving of a shot at the big leagues.
``He has paid the price,'' said Hartman of Barker, who has started all but one of his 170 games at Tech.
``He's a hard worker who's gotten better every year. He has gotten bigger, stronger and faster. He has worked in the weight room, he runs every day after games. He's done it.''
After leading Virginia High School to the 1993 Group AA title, Barker came to Tech as a pitcher-first baseman. He was moved to the outfield early in his freshman season due to his speed and defensive prowess.
``Still,'' said Hartman, ``I had no idea he'd be this good a player. We really thought he might fill some of our pitching needs. We liked the way he threw the ball.''
But Barker's bat simply couldn't be ignored. Hartman soon realized he needed this guy in his lineup everyday.
``I don't really miss the pitching,'' said Barker, who was 9-1 with a 0.22 ERA his senior year at Virginia High. ``Pitchers play once every four days, and that's not enough for me.''
Truth be known, there never has been enough baseball for Barker. He starred in five sports in high school, but baseball always has been No.1.
``It was the sport I always worked hardest at,'' he said. ``My Dad pushed me for baseball. He was real good at it until he had go into the Army when he was 18. Now I've got the opportunity my Dad never had.''
The kid doesn't plan on blowing it, either.
``I can't wait to get the draft over and get on with business,'' Barker said. ``June 4th is getting real close now. I just wish it was tomorrow.''
Barker has been projected as going anywhere from the second to fifth rounds.
``I think it'll be somewhere in the top three rounds,'' he said. ``I don't believe it will be any lower than that. That's what I've been hearing, and I've been hearing it real strong.''
With the draft on the horizon, Barker finds himself fielding more than baseballs these days.
``Tons of people are starting to call me,'' he said. ``They're calling and asking `what's it's going to take [in terms of money] to get you?'''
Barker doesn't have to be reminded he's in an enviable position.
``I'm on top of the world right now,'' he said. ``Here I'm going to get a chance to play the game I love. Ever since my Dad and I started throwing ball on the farm, this is where I've wanted to go.''
And once he gets there?
``I'm not stopping,'' said Barker. ``I'm going to go full speed and be the best player I can possibly be.
``And, hopefully, one day, I'll be some little kid's hero.''
LENGTH: Long : 103 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff. Tech center fielder Kevin Barker isby CNBprojected to go high in this year's major-league draft. The junior
is rated the 24th-best college
prospect by Baseball America. color.