State-Journal.com - Riddle makes it official

Family and coaches watch Western Hills senior J.T. Riddle, seated second from left, sign to play baseball for the University of Kentucky Wednesday. Seated next to Riddle, from left, are his parents Shane Riddle and LaKeta and Buddy Ritchie and his sister LaKenzie Ritchie. On the back row are WHHS baseball coach Dustin Fore, athletic director Craig Fry, assistant baseball coach Jeff Howard, and head basketball coach Enoch Welch. (State Journal/Hilly Schiffer)

With family, friends and coaches gathered round, Western Hills’ star shortstop and pitcher made his dream official with a few strokes of a pen.

Senior J.T. Riddle signed a National Letter of Intent to play Div. I baseball at the University of Kentucky Wednesday afternoon, something he said was a long time coming.

“This has always been my goal since I started playing baseball was to become a Division I player,” Riddle said. “And who knew I would be going to a great SEC school and in-state at that.

“What drew me was the fact that I wanted to go there,” he added. “For pretty much all my life I have been a UK fan and also the coaches are great and the players are great. Every time I went up, it seemed like I had a blast up there.”

Riddle has been a standout on the Wolverines baseball team since his freshman season when he batted .411 and had 37 hits.

He is a three-time State Journal All-County Team member and was named All-County Most Valuable Player in 2008. That same season, he was also named to the All-District and All-Region teams as well as the Baseball Factory Player of the Week and was named an Under Armor Preseason All-American.

Also in 2008, he hit .470 and got a school-record 47 hits and went 5-0 on the mound with 55 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.

In 2009, he batted a school-record .478 with 42 hits and went 3-3 pitching with a school-record earned run average of 1.64. He was also named to the All-District team yet again and was All-State honorable mention.

On top of all that, Riddle has a 3.6 GPA and has been an All-District and All-Region player for the basketball team. Last season, he led the 41^st District in scoring. Riddle also plays summer baseball with the Kentucky Baseball Club out of Lexington and the Kentucky Grizzlies based in Frankfort.

“It has been an honor to work with J.T. for three years,” said Craig Fry, former WHHS head baseball coach and current athletic director. “Obviously he is a very talented baseball player – probably one of the best if not the best player to come through Western Hills in the history of the school – not just since I have been here.

“It’s a great honor for J.T. and his family and the school itself to have another kid (go Division I),” he added. This is the second year in a row that we have had a kid go Division I.”

Jordan Queen is currently playing at Murray State.

Fry said that Riddle is a good fit for UK, though what position he will play initially is up in the air.

“I think he’ll do real well,” Fry said. “I don’t think they know for sure what their plans are for him. They haven’t pinned him down. They’re looking at him as a pitcher and also as a position player. It will probably end up being where do they need him.

“They had a real good kid, Chris (Bisson), at shortstop last year,” he added. “He will be back next year, so J.T. may not get to play in the infield. As long as he keeps getting stronger and working on everything, he should be throwing low 90s by the time he gets to UK. They’ll find a way to get him out there on the mound.”

Riddle is hoping to eventually play shortstop, but knows anything can happen once he gets to UK.

“Right now they have me as a two-way player for the first couple of years, Riddle said. “My number one goal is to play shortstop, but if I get up there, put on 20 pounds and maybe a couple more inches in height, I can see myself maybe moving to third. Also, depending on how my pitching develops, maybe I could be a pitcher, but we’ll see.

“I think I’ll see some playing time,” Riddle said about his chances in next season at UK. “They’ll want to see what my ability is. During the week, the games still matter but non-conference games in baseball are not as big of a deal compared to basketball or something like that. I may see myself in a couple of times on the weekends toward the end of the year in SEC action.”

Riddle has already started a weight lifting program with WHHS basketball coach Enoch Welch in preparation for moving up to the college level.

“I’ll keep doing that until I get up to UK and then work with them during the summer and take some summer classes and hopefully be in good shape once baseball season comes,” Riddle said.

But until then, Riddle still has basketball starting in December and then baseball this spring.

“I’m just looking to have fun in basketball and baseball this year,” Riddle said. “Knowing that I have already signed, a lot of pressure is off my shoulders.”