Sports Spotlight: Hylan Hall | Observer Preps

Hylan Hall, a senior outfielder on the Ocoee High baseball team, is enjoying plenty of attention for his play. The University of Miami commit was named a Perfect Game All-American and has his eyes on eventually making it to the professional level and becoming the next Mike Trout.

How old were you when you first got into baseball?

I started playing baseball when I was about 5 years old, and I played three sports — basketball, football and baseball. When I was younger, I always wanted to play either baseball or football, but I started to see I was ahead of my age group. When I was 8 years old, I played 12U travel ball, and when I was 10, I played 14U. … I just realized that was a better sport for me to play, as far as trying to make it to the MLB.

Have you always played out in center?

When I first came to high school, I was the starting shortstop, but I just realized it would be better for me to go to outfield, because of the amount of range I could cover and my arm strength.

What’s been the biggest challenge going from shortstop to centerfield?

Just the fundamentals and the technique. When you’re playing shortstop, you have to run to the ball, get in front of it and get the ball out as quick as possible. In the outfield, you have to run behind the ball and get through it.

Over the last four years of ball, what has been the biggest highlight for you?

Me getting selected to the PG (Perfect Game) All-American game. There were (more than) 300 people that got invited to the showcase, and I believe 45 players that actually made it — that was pretty cool. 

What’s been the biggest challenge in your sport?

My biggest challenge is just staying within myself. I have a lot more attention this year than I usually have had, as far as pro attention — MLB teams coming to my games watching me. And sometimes, I try to do too much, and I don’t just do what got me there — I try to hit a home run every pitch or do something spectacular, when all I have to do is just play my game.

What are you most looking forward to at Miami?

It’s been a dream of mine to play college baseball, so I just want to go in there and show the world all the work I’ve put in my whole life. College baseball is more of a platform to show what you can do. I just want to go in there and perform and win a national championship — that would be amazing.