South Kingstown’s Ben Brutti is Gatorade RI Baseball Player of Year

The state’s most dominant pitcher has been named the Gatorade Rhode Island Baseball Participant of the 12 months. 

A Friday morning press launch introduced the glory for Ben Brutti, the South Kingstown senior. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander has been dominant in what might be his last season with the Rebels. 

Brutti’s numbers in 2022 are eye-popping — 0.46 earned-run common, solely 14 hits allowed and 105 strikeouts in 46 innings. He’s produced a handful of memorable outings, together with 17 strikeouts and a lone unearned run in a 2-1 victory over Interscholastic League Division I semifinalist Portsmouth on Could 9. Brutti’s work on the plate features a .465 batting common, a .586 on-base proportion and 21 RBI by 20 video games. 

“Ben has utterly dominated Rhode Island highschool baseball in 2022,” Patriots assistant coach Matt McGuire stated in an announcement. “As a pitcher, he’s practically untouchable, however offensively he’s been a weapon, too.  

“He’s the very best participant in Rhode Island.” 

Brutti put himself on the nationwide radar over the winter with a 20-pitch bullpen session on the Prep Baseball Report Tremendous 60 showcase in Chicago. His fastball topped out at 96 mph in entrance of an estimated 100 skilled scouts. Brutti has discovered an additional tick of velocity at sure occasions this spring — he’s touched 97 mph and paired it with a slider that has wipeout potential. 

Brutti dedicated to South Florida regardless of comparatively little earlier expertise enjoying highschool baseball. COVID-19 compelled the cancellation of the 2020 season and Brutti sat out the entire 2021 marketing campaign attributable to a again harm. The vast majority of his buildup to the final three months has been achieved on the showcase circuit and indoors at Hop’s Athletic Efficiency in Coventry. 

Gatorade contains an off-field part in its choice standards — Brutti crammed it by group service and classroom efficiency. He’s volunteered at an area homeless shelter and meals financial institution, coached youth baseball and refereed kids’s flag soccer video games. Brutti additionally carries a weighted 4.19 grade-point common. 

Brutti may discover himself with a choice to make later this summer season. He is amongst the candidates to be chosen within the Main League Baseball Draft, which is scheduled for July. Brutti may choose to signal and start his profession within the execs as a substitute of honoring his dedication to the Bulls. 

Brutti makes it three current winners from the South Kingstown program, becoming a member of Harrison Barlow (2011) and Sam Kenyon (2017). The Rebels hosted La Salle on Friday for an opportunity to succeed in the semifinals. 

bkoch@providencejournal.com    

On Twitter: @BillKoch25