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Get Scouted Scouting CareersBlake Daniels won’t acknowledge it, but he is probably the best all-around athlete at Marked Tree High School. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the National Scouting Report prospect is one of the best all-around athletes in Arkansas.
A three-sport standout, Daniels is a three-time all-state baseball player, an all-state golfer and an all-conference football player at the Class 2A high school in Northeast Arkansas.
Daniels, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior, has quarterbacked the football team to its best season since 2007. A two-year starter, he has amassed more than 500 yards passing and 10 touchdowns so far, leading the Indians to a 6-3 record.
He also placed eighth in the state golf championships, shooting a two-day total of 83, to qualify for all-state honors.
Finally, the versatile catcher/infielder/pitcher batted an eye-popping .659 with a .719 on-base percentage last season for the baseball team. In addition, he struck out 45 batters in 52 1/3 innings on the mound.
“I’m one of those guys that, whatever the season is, I love that sport,” Daniels said. “But baseball is my favorite – always will be.”
Daniels, a left-handed contact and power hitter, recently committed to Crowder College, a junior-college power in Neosho, Mo. He also received offers from NCAA Division II powers Henderson State and Arkansas-Monticello. He’s still on the radar at several Division I schools.
“He’s probably the best pure hitter I’ve seen in the state of Arkansas,” boasted NSR scout Larry Perrin, who discovered Daniels. “He’s not just a power hitter, he’s a high-average hitter. It’s indescribable how quick his hands are. He can see a pitch late and still get enough bat on the ball to make it go a long way.”
Daniels’ dream school is the University of Arkansas, a perennial Division I power in the Southeastern Conference. But, to this point, he has not received any D-I offers.
“That’s one of the main reasons I committed to a junior college,” Daniels said. “If I go to a junior college, I can transfer to a D-I school after my freshman year without sitting out a year.”
Daniels, 17, may not have to wait that long.
“There are several D-I schools that have him on a watch list for his senior season,” Perrin said. “By committing to a junior college, he can take some of the pressure off recruiting and go out and play ball. We’ve identified specific schools that have some interest. They will continue to watch him during his senior season. If they lose a prospect due to academics, injury or some other reason, that could open up an offer for him.”
Perrin said he wouldn’t be surprised if Daniels were selected in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft next June.
“He’s good enough to be drafted,” Perrin said. “However, unless he gets drafted in the early rounds and is offered a lot of [signing] money, he probably won’t go. His parents are both college graduates. He sees the value of a college degree, and he wants the college experience.”
“Everybody dreams of playing pro baseball,” Daniels said. “But I’m more concerned with college right now.”
Perrin discovered Daniels last spring. It wasn’t hard to find him.
“The buzz about him piqued my interest,” Perrin said. “Everybody – personal coaches, travel coaches, high school coached – raved about him. I got some film from his parents. Once I watched that, I knew what they were talking about. He was the real deal.”
Daniels credits NSR, more specifically Perrin, for opening college doors.
“Mr. Perrin helped me a lot,” Daniels said. “He contacted schools for me. He talked me up. He told the coaches little things they didn’t know about me. Most coaches have no clue who you are. If you want to be known and you want to be recruited, I would highly recommend NSR.”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.
Great sharing. I can tell from your article. He’s outstanding. The good thing is that he tried to concentrate on college as much as possible.