HTHS’s Tolbert a throwback baseball player

Tyler Tolbert feels like he is ready to play baseball at the college level.

“Coach (Jeff) Mauldin treats us like a college program,” he said. “He tries to get us ready for the next level at every practice.”

Tolbert leaves the Hewitt-Trussville High baseball program as a three-year starter at second base. In those three years, he morphed from a quiet perfectionist to a humble leader.

“When we first brought him up to varsity, he wanted to be Mr. Perfection,” said Mauldin, head coach of the Huskies. “He wanted to be perfect on everything and kind of got down on himself when he made mistakes.”

But the coaching staff was patient with him, since he was just a sophomore at the time of his call-up to the varsity team, and it paid off. 

“It has been an absolute joy to coach this guy this year,” Mauldin continued. “It’s a growing process from your freshman to your senior year, but how he plays the game with 100 percent confidence, he’s got some swag, plays the game hard, he’s kind of a throwback player.”

As he was railing off Tolbert’s attributes, Mauldin noted that despite being one of the top players on the team, Tolbert was over at first base helping hold the water hose as the field was tended to following the game.

Former teammates have also taken notice. Tolbert stepped up to the varsity team as a 10th grader and made an immediate impact.

“He came in and the first thing he did was turn a double play. I was like, ‘Wow, this kid’s going to be good,’” said Carter Pharis, the shortstop who was his partner on the double play.

A year older than Tolbert, Pharis took the second baseman under his wing and mentored him. The two remain great friends, as Tolbert will join the UAB baseball program after graduation, where Pharis spent his freshman season as the starting first baseman.

“It’ll be cool to play with someone I’ve already gotten to play with at the high school level,” Pharis said.

UAB was the easy choice for Tolbert, who said the coaches made him feel like a priority and would always send people to his games while playing on the summer circuit.

One thing that is consistent among comments made by peers is the work ethic that Tolbert possesses. He is by no means a big man, but that hasn’t stopped him.

“He got serious in the weight room the last few years,” Mauldin said. “He’s one of five guys on the team that squats over 400 pounds, and he’s probably 150 pounds.”

Tolbert also spends hours in the batting cage, taking extra cuts off a tee in an effort to fine-tune his swing.

“He’s a kid that loves to work,” Pharis said. “A great guy, good teammates, great guy to play baseball with. If I say, ‘Hey Tyler, let’s go hit, he’s like, ‘Absolutely.’”

His speed has continually improved, as teammates who once hung with him can no longer keep up. He has also taken the lessons he learned from Pharis as a youngster and is helping sophomore shortstop Ed Johnson learn and grow at the varsity level.

“It’s like a mentor program there. Carter helped him, Tolbert’s helping Ed, hopefully Ed helps someone else next year when Tyler leaves,” Mauldin said.

Of Pharis, Tolbert said, “It was amazing. I learned a lot from him, because when I came up here, I was a young kid. He took me in and taught me everything I needed to know.”

Mauldin played and coached at the Division 1 level in college, so he knows what it takes to be successful. He makes it no secret that his program at Hewitt-Trussville is challenging and demanding, but the fruits of their labor are realized.

“The kids who grasp that and trust the process, they’re the ones who go on and have success when they have their opportunities,” he said. “Not everybody goes and plays (in) college, but the guys that do, we send them ready.”

Tolbert seems to understand that, and said, “All I can do is thank him for preparing me for the next level. I think I’ll be ready, but there’s just some things that I need to learn and adjust to because it’s another level and the game is faster, bigger and stronger, but I’m ready to play.”