Press-Citizen Baseball Player of the Year: West High's Connor McCaffery

Connor McCaffery is in a category by himself.

In basketball, the senior-to-be at West High has patrolled the hardwood for the Trojans from the outset, starting at point guard as a freshman, the buzz of his last name coming to fruition with improvement from year to year, all en route to being named Press-Citizen Basketball Player of the Year this past season as a junior.

Then, there’s baseball.

While McCaffery has been a top tier prospect in basketball, he is too in baseball, putting together a breakout campaign this summer for Press-Citizen Baseball Player of the Year. McCaffery is believed to be the first area athlete to win Player of the Year in multiple sports in the same school year.

“It’s really cool,” McCaffery said. “I’ve worked hard at both sports, so to be rewarded for both is humbling. A lot of it is due to my teammates and my coaches, but a lot of it is my work paying off. It feels good to see the results.”

McCaffery hit .407 with a .520 on-base percentage and .748 slugging percentage this season for the Trojans, who reached the Class 4A state title game for the third straight year. The right-fielder hit eight home runs, 10 doubles, three triples, scored 42 runs, and drove in 33. The home run and triple totals were third-best in 4A. He also recorded four outfield assists.

In 2015, McCaffery — son of Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery — hit at a .289 clip with two homers and 25 RBI, a marked difference.

Aided by former Iowa baseball coach Jack Dahm, a change in batting stance — going from a crouched position to standing straight up — proved to to be vastly beneficial.

“His last name puts him underneath the radar (in baseball),” West coach Charlie Stumpff said. “He’s a natural hitter that made an adjustment from last year, working with coach Dahm in the off-season to get more upright. He had better posture and swung like a 6-5 power hitter. The results showed. He made that adjustment and the power numbers took off. Last year, he made contact and was a good hitter, but he didn’t have the power that he’s grown into.”

Despite West’s robust starting lineup on the diamond, McCaffery was still pitched around or pitched backwards as the team’s No. 3 hitter.

But a variety of off-speed pitches before a fastball didn’t work for most opposing hurlers.

“As the year went on, I was seeing a lot of breaking balls early in the count,” McCaffery said. “If I didn’t swing at those, the pitcher would get behind and was forced to throw a fastball. So when the fastball was coming, I usually took care of those.”

Similar to basketball, McCaffery remained himself in the postseason for baseball, not relinquishing the moment as he stepped to the plate as an extra-base hit threat each time up to bat.

The 6-5 left-handed hitter went 7-for-17 in five postseason contests with a home run, triple, double, and six RBI.

“He has a presence,” Stumpff said. “He stepped up in big spots, he’s not afraid. You have to have that. It’s a tough situation going up against a good pitcher for anyone, and even tougher if you don’t have that confidence or that inner glow. He has it.”

Now a formidable Division-I prospect — and perhaps beyond — in two sports, Iowa is also on the table for McCaffery in baseball as he holds an offer from coach Rick Heller. McCaffery committed to Iowa for basketball in August 2014.

Due to crossover in the baseball and basketball seasons, it would take some creativity and planning to do both, but the possibility stands.

“I’d like to be a part of the (baseball) team at Iowa if I can be,” McCaffery said. “I’m still trying to work it out with my dad, my mom, and coach Heller to see what the best situation is to come up with. Hopefully, there’s something that works out because I’d like to keep playing. I love baseball as much as I love playing basketball even though I’ve been committed for basketball.

“I’m not ready to give up on baseball yet, and I think I can become pretty good at it, so we’ll see where this all ends up.”