SPORTS

Shortstop Skirmish: Who will come out on top?

Trey Labat

glabat@theadvertiser.com

Alex Bregman has already proven to be a talented shortstop, and he believes he can play that position in the majors. LSU infielder Alex Bregman (8) fields a grounder single by UNC Wilmington's Robbie Thorburn in the eighth inning of a game at the Baton Rouge Regional of the NCAA college baseball tournament in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, June 1, 2015. LSU won 2-0 to win the tournament and advance to the super regionals.

LSU hitting coach Andy Cannizaro knows a thing or two about elite shortstop play.

Cannizaro starred at shortstop for Tulane before being drafted by the Yankees and watching Derek Jeter play for the first six years of his career.

So when he gives out compliments they hold a little more weight. And that's why everyone from Cajun land to Baton Rouge should be excited to watch two of the top shortstops in the nation, UL's Blake Trahan and LSU's Alex Bregman, battle it out on the diamond this weekend in Alex Box Stadium.

"As a former shortstop, this is going to be the place to be for shortstop play in the country this week," Cannizaro said. "Both are phenomenal players."

Bregman is one of the final four nominees for the Golden Spikes Trophy awarded to the top college baseball player every year and is expected to be drafted in the top 10 of the MLB draft next week.

Trahan won Sunbelt Conference Player of the Year, was named to the Houston All-Regional team and is also expected to go in the first round next week.

Both played for Team USA Baseball last summer.

In other words, both players are the hearts of their respective teams.

Paul Kieu/The AdvertiserUL shortstop Blake Trahan has proven to be an elite performer for the Ragin’ Cajuns with his bat and his glove. Paul Kieu/File/The AdvertiserUL shortstop Blake Trahan throws a ground ball to first for an out during a game last season against Texas Southern. UL shortstop Blake Trahan is starting to turn some heads nationally. Paul Kieu/The Advertiser UL shortstop Blake Trahan throws a ground ball to first base for an out during the first inning of an NCAA baseball game against Texas Southern at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field in Lafayette, LA, Sunday, March 9, 2014. Paul Kieu, The Advertiser

"Both those guys mean so much to their teams. They both do things a little differently," said University of Louisiana coach Tony Robichaux. "You can appreciate both of 'em, you know? You can't make theirs ours or ours theirs.

"They're both going to go very high in the draft. And not only are both of them good players, they're good people. Both play the game the right way. Both are going to get a great opportunity to play Major League Baseball."

Cannizaro said when he scouted the area last year for the Yankees Trahan stood out during the process as a top-level player.

This season, Cannizaro said Trahan is the engine behind a grinding Cajuns offense.

"He makes their team go. He is kind of their igniter," Cannizaro said. "He's a guy who is going to get on base and grind out his at-bats and make them go. If he has a good game (the Cajuns) are usually doing pretty well offensively."

Trahan goes into the super regional with a .324 batting average and 17 stolen bases, but it's all the other things he does for the Cajuns that makes him a special player.

He committed only nine errors all season, and was put on the All-Regional team despite not picking up a hit in the series, making his mark on the game with crucial sacrifice bunts and defensive prowess.

Cannizaro said those qualities are what make both Trahan and Bregman special to their respective teams.

"That's the kind of player that those two are that's the kind of makeup that those two have. They are team guys that want to do anything they can to help the team win," Cannizaro said. "Alex and I talk all the time about being able to separate the offense from the defense. I tell him all the time, "No matter how many hits you get, never leave your glove in the dugout."

Bregman praised Trahan for his toughness at the plate and said one of the reasons the two respect each other so much is that they try to play the game of baseball the same way.

That is, they go all out on every pitch.

"He's one of my favorite people on that team. I loved playing with Blake this summer. He's a competitor; he's a battler; he's a warrior," Bregman said. "He goes out there and competes every pitch and that's why we have such a good relationship. I hope the best for him and look forward to following his career."

Although both players have similar athletic profiles — Trahan is listed at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds and Bregman is listed at 6-foot, 189 pounds — and play the same position and have experienced incredible success to this point in their career, Robichaux said they are both their own player and should be admired separately.

"They're both each individual players, and they make their team so much better," Robichaux said. "At the plate. Defensively. They make their third baseman, their second baseman, better. They make their infield better. They make their team better. They make their pitching staffs better. So, those two guys do a lot."

LSU shortstop Alex Bregman, right, forces out Ole Miss’ Austin Anderson, left, on a double play on Saturday in Oxford. The double play ruined one of Ole Miss’ top scoring chances. AP LSU shortstop Alex Bregman, right, forces out Mississippi's Austin Anderson, left, on a double play during an NCAA college baseball game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, April 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Oxford Eagle, Bruce Newman) MAGAZINES OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT

Team USA experience

Trahan and Bregman first spent time together during their experience with Team USA.

It's where the mutual respect and friendship between the two began to blossom.

Trahan said one of the moments where he knew Bregman was his type of player was late in the season when the team traveled to Cuba.

The team had been traveling a lot, not staying in one location for very long during their tour, and the team was exhausted from the grind of the summer season.

But once they got out into the infield both Bregman and Trahan talked about how they needed to grind out the win, how they had to push through to get the victory.

This is a summer league game, for Team USA, yes; but it should give an idea of how competitive the two are.

"My favorite part of the trip was going to Cuba," Trahan said. "I remember being out on the field with Alex and us talking about how we needed to grind this one out, that we had to finish."

"And that's just who he is as a player. He's a grinder. I'm a grinder and it's going to be great to play against him."

Bregman said receiving that type of praise from a player like Trahan was an honor.

"It's an honor for him to say that about me. That's why we got close, we play the same style of baseball, we were raised to play the game the same way," Bregman said. "To play every pitch like it is your last, and that's why I really enjoyed playing with him and why we have such a good relationship still."

Despite the close relationship between the two, neither fan base should worry about the two taking it easier on one another.

They have exchanged text messages this week talking trash, of the friendly nature, and are both looking forward to outplay each other at the shortstop.

Almost a battle within the battle between the two.

"We love competing against each other and it's going to be fun this weekend, I can't wait to see him," Bregman said. "I'm excited for him to come out and play in the Box again and I know he is. He told me before the Regional that they were going to be here playing us."

"The competitiveness isn't going to be a problem," Trahan smiled. "We're both going to go at it. He plays the game hard and I play the game hard. So we may know each other, but it's going to be cutthroat on the field. It's all positive, though."