For Mundelein senior infielder Johnny Weiss, playing a lot of winning baseball was both the goal and the result of his summer on the road.
Weiss was a key player for the Hitters Black travel team, which stormed through high-level tournament fields in multiple states.
“I think I had a very successful summer,” he said. “As a team, we knew it was our last time playing together. So going against some of the top teams from around the country and winning, we proved a lot of people wrong. It was huge for our program.”
It was huge for Weiss, too, mainly because it came on the heels of a junior season during which he batted .308 for the Mustangs (24-11-2), who won a Class 4A regional title, but felt like his best wasn’t on display.
“I really struggled early in the high school season,” he said. “It was like I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. Going into the summer, I gave myself a complete reset.”
Speaking with his father, Ben, the 5-foot-10, 140-pound Weiss came to realize he needed to focus on what he does best. Like Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong said during the MLB All-Star Game on July 15, “be exactly how you are supposed to be” — words that Weiss heard.
“My dad pours a lot of time into my games, and he knows me better than anyone,” Weiss said. “I looked in the mirror and decided to be who I am as a player. I’m not the guy who’s going to hit home runs but hit the ball in gaps and let my speed show.”
Weiss did that for Hitters Back (38-4-6), batting .383 with 25 stolen bases.
“I would argue that he was among our top two or three most impactful players, and this was a lineup full of studs,” Hitters Black coach Michael Sisti said.
Weiss also reprised his super utility role from summer 2024, nearly playing all nine positions again.
“Playing all over the place is fun,” he said. “By not limiting myself to one position, that’s something that’s valuable.”
Weiss even pitched, something he hasn’t been asked to do in his first two varsity seasons at Mundelein. He went 4-0 with five saves, one of which came when he picked off a runner at third base to end a 1-0 win over the Ohio Warhawks.
As a pitcher, Weiss has been known to tell the defense behind him where he thinks the ball will be hit.
“He could be the smartest baseball player I’ve ever coached,” Sisti said. “We talk all the time about the stuff he sees in the field. As our closer, he’s our ‘break glass’ guy. Whenever we’re in a pickle and we need someone to save us, we go to Johnny.”
Mundelein coach Randy Lerner knows Weiss will be one of the tone-setters next season.
“He’s such a dynamic player on the field, and in workouts this summer he already stepped right into that senior leadership mode,” Lerner said. “We have a different group coming up, and his flexibility gives us a lot of options for how he’ll contribute.
“He’s the kind of guy who the more you watch him play, the more you’re impressed.”
Weiss hopes to have one other important matter settled before next season — a college decision. Interest in Weiss has picked up recently, mostly from junior college, Division II and III coaches.
Weiss hopes to visit some colleges during the fall as the picture becomes clearer.
“At the end of the day, my size puts me at a disadvantage, and it’s hard to overcome,” he said. “It does help put a chip on my shoulder. One thing that’s changed lately that I’ve been happy about is that a lot of times when coaches reach out, they say they like the style of baseball I play.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
