By STEVE KRAH
As Tucket Platt reaches the on-deck circle for the Indiana University-Kokomo Cougars baseball team repeats three phrases to to focus himself:
“See the ball.”
“Relax.”
“Hammer it!”
Platt, a righty-swinging graduate student and corner infielder, steps in the batter’s box with the idea of identifying the pitch then doing damage with it.
“I try to keep it simple,” says Platt. “I want to hit a hard line drive.”
Heading into a series between NAIA River States Conference leaders Indiana University Southeast (24-12, 16-2) and IU-Kokomo (27-13, 15-3) at Kokomo Municipal Stadium (two games Saturday, April 13 and one Sunday, April 14), Platt has played in all 40 games (39 starts) and is hitting .361 (53-of-147) with seven home runs, four triples, 18 doubles, 43 runs batted in, 43 runs scored and a 1.138 OPS (.451 on-base percentage plus .687 slugging average).
Platt has already been named RSC Player of the Week twice in 2024 — Feb. 20 and March 13.
This spring is his third at IUK after two at Olney (Ill.) Central College. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic abbreviating the 2020 season and affecting the next season for junior college athletes, he has another year of eligibility in 2025 and intends to continuing as masters in Accounting. He already has a Finance degree.
After playing a total of 28 games and hitting .215 (11-of-51) at OCC, Platt participated in 38 games for the Cougars in 2022 and hit .253 (24-of-95) with no homers, one triple, three doubles, 14 RBIs, eight runs and a .647 OPS (.342/.305) followed by 43 contests in 2023 while hitting a healthy .366 (52-of-142) with two homers, five triples, 11 doubles, 20 RBIs, 38 runs and a 1.023 OPS (.467/.556).
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Platt is primarily a third baseman and has a defensive approach.
“I think I learned this from (Hall of Famer) Scott Rolen,” says Platt. “It’s the hot corner so I look for the for the (hitters’) strike zone in front of the box and visual where they’re going to catch the ball out-front and that’s how I read the ball.
“It gets on you quick. I also play through scenarios in my head on what I need to do (when the ball is him to me).”
Platt admires many athletes and one is a former infielder.
“I like (Hall of Famer) Derek Jeter for the way he carried himself in baseball,” says Platt.
Drew Brantley is the IUK head coach.
“Coach Brantley gave me an opportunity to come here and put myself in good position to start right away and I did,” says Platt. “He’s a well-spoken coach. He knows the game.”
Dennis Conley won 1,158 games at the National Junior College Athletic Association level and led Olney Central to 40 consecutive winning seasons.
“He was old school for sure,” says Platt of Conley.
Platt is slated to play this summer with the Prospect League’s Lafayette (Ind.) Aviators. He was with the PL’s O’Fallon (Mo.) Hoots in 2023, Northwoods League’s Kokomo Jackrabbits in 2022 and honed his skills in the College Summer League at Grand Park in 2021 (Snapping Turtles) and 2020 (Screwballs).
“My first year that league was stacked,” says Platt. “There were dudes from every Power 5 team that summer.”
Platt was born and raised in Logansport, Ind. He played T-ball at Riverside Park. From ages 9 to 12, he was in recreation ball at Crain and Metz fields. From 13 to 15, he competed in the Logansport Babe Ruth League.
At 13, he also began travel ball. He was with the Battle Ground Tomahawks at 13U and Monticello Tribe at 14U before three summers with the Indiana Prospects. On more than one team his coach was Dan Walbaum.
Before heading to college, he was with Don Andrews-managed Kokomo American Legion Post 6.
Platt was a three-sport athlete at Logansport High School, playing football, basketball and baseball for four years and graduating in 2019.
He was a middle linebacker for the varsity football team as a freshman. He dressed with varsity as a freshman and sophomore and started every basketball game his last two years. He was a four-year varsity baseball player.
A second baseman as a freshman, he was shortstop the next three and also did some pitching for then-head coach Jim Turner Jr.
“He kept it pretty light,” says Platt of Turner. “He wanted to make sure you were doing the right things. It was on you to do the extra work and make sure you were prepared.”
Tucker is the youngest of Brad and Stacey Platt’s three children, behind Alexis and Kelley. Alexis Platt (now Alexis Miller) was a swimmer at Logansport High and Kelley Platt was a standout gymnast for the Berries and is now head coach.
Brad Platt spent decades as an assistant baseball coach at LHS.
“I was always at the field and picking up on things early,” says Tucker of his time with his father. “I got BP and (fungo reps) with him. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
“He’s given me all the opportunities in the world to succeed.”
In his senior year, Tucker was chosen as Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A honorable mention all-state and went to Madison, Ind., to participate in the IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series.
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