Cardinals’ Justin Propeck lets bat do talking

As one of the Cardinals’ leading hitters, Medical Lake High School senior outfielder Justin Propeck epitomizes the old saying, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”

“Justin’s one of those kids that we always tease him that if he ever said anything, it’s a shock because he’s real quiet,” said Cardinals head coach Terry King. “But he leads by example.

“He does everything that a coach would want done when it has to be done. He never verbalizes much at all. He just gets the job done.”

“Yeah, I feel like I’m pretty quiet, but around my close friends, I don’t think I’m as quiet,” said Propeck.

“They just joke around, but it’s all in fun. I don’t mind it. I’ve just been quiet since I was real little.”

Propeck’s quiet demeanor hasn’t led to a low volume performance on the field, though, as he is hitting around the .400 mark for the Cardinals this spring.

“He hits to all parts of the field,” King said. “He has a good eye; he knows the strike zone. At the beginning of this year so far, he’s been hitting the ball well.

“I know last year, he struggled a little bit. He got off to a good start this year, though.

“He can go the opposite way well, but at the same time, he can pull it.”

“I just used all the stuff I’ve learned throughout the years and put them to use this year,” Propeck said. “I made sure I was doing things right, just the small stuff like going back to the basics in my swing.

“I have a little more confidence this year.”

One other little adjustment may have made a difference in the batter’s box as well.

“I just got contacts, so I feel like I’m seeing pretty well,” said the Cardinals center fielder. “I feel like it helped me.”

Propeck’s confidence at the plate could have also been helped by a state appearance at this year’s Mat Classic, as Propeck represented Medical Lake at 152 pounds.

“It was probably my best wrestling season yet, but it didn’t turn out like I wanted to at state,” said Propeck, who failed to place at the state meet.

Up until this season, Propeck continued to wrestle freestyle tournaments during the baseball season.

“I’ve been doing it since I was 5 years old,” he said. “It’s just a lot of fun. I think I’m more competitive in wrestling.

“It’s just a sport I love to do and work hard at it. It’s just putting all the hard work and seeing how it comes out and how I do on the mat … having me and one other guy and knowing that it’s because of me that I’m winning.”

Propeck dropped down from 160 pounds to help his wrestling team over the long run, and that type of unselfishness did not go unnoticed on the diamond.

“He works hard, comes to practice every day, never says a word except for what needs to be done type stuff,” King said. “He brings a lot to the table.

“If he gets on base, he’s a threat. If he hits a ball in the gap, he can run it down. He’s just a good, consistent kid.”

This spring, Propeck will wrap up a baseball career that started with T-ball when he was 5 years old. He hopes to help take the Cardinals further than they’ve ever been during his playing career.

“I’ve played with pretty much all the same guys I play with now,” Propeck said. “I’ve had a lot of fun doing it, too.

“It’s just being fun being out in the field and playing hard.”