By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
Troy Peltz isn’t feeling any pressure this summer with the Burlington Bees.
He’s already been through that in his career.
Peltz won two state titles at Lincoln (Neb.) East High School, and he spent his freshman season playing on an Iowa Western Community College team that won 47 games and was ranked seventh in NJCAA Division I.
It’s why he feels prepared for his time in the Prospect League.
“I think summer ball is a great opportunity,” Peltz said. “You want to come out and get as many at-bats as you can. But there’s no substitute for real games, real action.
“I think everyone on the team would say they’re competitive, that they want to win. But it’s so much more than reps being here. It’s meaningful — you go out there, you want to win. You’re looking eye-to-eye at the pitcher and you’re like, ‘OK, let’s go.’”
Peltz, an outfielder, is hitting .259 and has a .879 OPS, following up on his first year of junior-college baseball, when he hit .240 in 22 games for the Reivers, who reached the district tournament in the postseason before being eliminated.
Being surrounded by talent at Iowa Western, Peltz said, has helped him as a player.
“At a program like Iowa Western, you look to your left and you look to your right, and there’s a dude who’s going to Oregon, or wherever,” he said. “Being surrounded by those guys who are just as competitive as you are, and wanting to take their game to the next level, that’s the biggest difference between juco and high school.
“It’s a lot easier to put pressure on yourself when you have guys who are really good players. But that’s how it is, though, to be surrounded by tough competition. I think it’s a blessing to be at a program where it’s hard to get on the field. We’re good, and there’s so many good players. You can’t allow that to tense you up.”
Peltz has 15 hits in 18 games with the Bees, including five extra-base hits — three doubles, a triple and a home run.
Peltz was assigned to the Bees by Iowa Western coach Ryan Cougill.
“I was told to come here by my college coach, but I’m so glad he did that,” Peltz said. “I love it here in Burlington. Great town, great facility, great coaches. I didn’t know anything about it before I was assigned to come here for summer ball. But I’ve loved it so far.”
Peltz has embraced the summer routine.
‘It’s nice to be focused on baseball, but you also get to do other things as well,” he said. “It’s been fun getting to know these guys, signing autographs before games, things like that, things I’ve never really gotten to do. And I’ve enjoyed swinging the wood bat. It’s a little less forgiving. But I love swinging it. I love the crack of the bat.”
Peltz said the pressure to play in a league such as the Prospect League doesn’t bother him.
“It’s been a great opportunity to get a ton of at-bats,” Peltz said. “Just making sure to not put a ton of pressure on yourself with every at-bat. Trust in your abilities to go out there and do what you know you can. I feel like it’s so easy to get caught up in one bad game, one bad at-bat. But just keep a level head.”
Peltz wants to be ready to compete for an increased role with Iowa Western next season.
“I have so much respect for guys who can do it straight out of high school, guys who can go to a big program right away and play,” he said. “For me, going to a juco, you see how there are levels to it. I think juco is the way to go and work your tail off.”
It’s why he’s glad his coach told him to come to Burlington.
“There are a lot of good players in this league, a lot of good players on our team, Peltz said. “For him to tell me to go play here, work your tail off here, that means a lot.”
Photo: Troy Peltz has five extra-base hits and an .879 OPS with the Burlington Bees this season. (Photo by Steve Cirinna)
