James Novakovic '24 Recruiting Profile

New Trier Township High School WinnetkaWinnetka, ILBaseball

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ClubTop Tier North

Height6'1"

Weight180lbs

Age19

Primary PositionShortstop

Secondary Position3rd Base

Dominant HandRight

60 Yard Dash7.33

Top Infield Velocity81

Exit Velocity88.56

Video

August 2021

Personal Statement

Playing baseball at the collegiate level has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. It would be an honor to not only represent my school athletically, but academically as well. I am a great student on and off of the field. I believe I would be a great asset to any school, as I have outstanding leaderships skills, the will to consistently improve with anything I do, and I am an excellent teammate. Something that makes me standout among the others is my drive to succeed. I push myself to be better at all times and I thrive with helping my teammates do the same. If a player is down. I love to bring them up. I also know there is always something to be learned from defeat. I believe that my positivity and desire to win not only make me a valuable baseball player but a great student as well. I would love any opportunity to play the sport I love, as I work to receive an amazing education.

Athletics

High School Information

Years w/ Varsity
1 year
Varsity Starter
1 year
2022 Varsity Team
Starter
- Jersey: #17
2021 Junior Varsity Team
Starter
- Jersey: #16

Club Information

Seasons of Club Experience
8 seasons
2022 Top Tier North
2021 Illinois DATAbaseball (New Trier High School)
2021 Top Tier North
2021 Top Tier Select (15U National Team)
Team made up of 25 players from all Top Tier locations across the country, including California, Iowa, Michigan, Florida and Illinois
2020 Top Tier North
2019 Top Tier North
2018 Top Tier North
2017 Top Tier North

Coach References

Private Coach
Rich Ruff
High School Head Coach
Mike Napolean
Strength
Adam Ballie
Travel / Club Coach
Nick Bridich
Club Director
Brian Duffy
Travel / Club Coach
Tony Gragnani

Events

Camp/Event
Midwest Prospect League Games
6/14/22 to 6/17/22
Camp/Event
2021 WWBA Sophomore World Championship-Perfect Game
9/23/21 to 9/27/21
114 top ranked teams from all across the country and Puerto Rico
Camp/Event
PBR Midwest Fall Championships
9/09/21 to 9/12/21
Camp/Event
University of Tennessee Prospect Baseball Camp
8/07/21 to 8/07/21
Prospect camp that offered opportunity for UT staff to coach and provide feedback to athletes showcasing themselves as potential recruits
Camp/Event
PBR 15U National Championship
7/22/21 to 7/28/21
Our team made it to the semi-finals out of 112 teams! This was a highly scouted event by the college and professional community. Featured top baseball programs and athletes from around the country.
Camp/Event
Bullpen Tournament 15U Amateur Baseball Chmapionships (Invite)
7/14/21 to 7/18/21
Highly competitive, Amateur Baseball Championships event with 5-game double pool play and then re-seeded pool/bracket play. 64 teams total.
Camp/Event
USA National Team Championships
6/27/21 to 7/01/21
I was selected to play as the starting shortstop on The Top Tier National Team for this event. This was an invitation-only event featuring national teams from various competitive baseball clubs from throughout the country.
Camp/Event
Perfect Game 15U WWBA Midwest Elite Championship
6/24/21 to 6/28/21
Camp/Event
PBR National Program Invitational
6/10/21 to 6/13/21
Starting Shortstop for Top Tier Select National Team
Camp/Event
PBR Junior Future Games
8/03/19 to 8/08/19
Player on Team Illinois. Invitational-only event that features the best identified prospects from across the PBR Coverage Area in a five-day event. Players are given the opportunity to compete against other top-level players, while representing their respective state in a high-level atmosphere.
Camp/Event
PBR Top Prospect Games
Invite-only event w/ over 50 of the top 2024 prospects from all over Illinois. Was ranked #4 infielder and #8 overall prospect by Prep Baseball Report after the event. https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/IL/Illinois-2024-Top-Prospect-Games-Top-Overall-Prospects-1825490367 https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/IL/Illinois-2024-Top-Prospect-Games-Infielder-Analysis-8153702496

Training

Private Baseball Hitting Lessons
5 years
Continue to train with Tony Gragnani, Top Tier North head coach to work on swing mechanics , velocity and ball placement on the field.
Cross Fit Workouts
3 years
Regular weekly workouts with trainer Adam Ballie to build core strength and gain muscle mass.