Garfield senior Eric Geddes has been as dominant on the mound as he has been at the plate. He has transcended to one of the greatest baseball players in Garfield school history.
Ben Coll/Special to Portage Sports

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

One of the most alluring tags a Major League Baseball prospect can receive is being identified as a five-tool player.

The stamp is used to describe a rare player that is exceptional at all five of the important physical tools of the game: Speed, throwing, fielding, hitting for average and hitting for power.

Garfield senior Eric Geddes has taken that description to another level.

Geddes is easily a seven-tool player, adding ace pitching and supreme leadership to the other characteristics of quality.

And like few, if any, in school history.

Simply put, there is not much Geddes can’t do on the baseball diamond.

Mike Paes has seen the evidence.

Repeatedly.

From a front-row seat as the program’s head coach since 2015.

Paes has coached some exceptional players and some came before his tenure, but none have been like Geddes.

“I have not had a player that was as dominant as a pitcher, fielder and hitter since I started head coaching in 2015,” Paes said. “I have had some great hitters in Kyle Workman, Zayne Veon, Cam King and Anthony Demma. I have had some great pitchers in Kaidan Spade, Tommy Bissler and Derek Miller. But I have not had someone that can do what Eric does on the mound and at the plate.”

Geddes’ 2024 numbers are expectedly on the rise, while the season is still young.

In 2023, Geddes was a phenom at the plate with a .456 average, 41 hits, 15 doubles, 1 home run, 34 RBI and 25 runs scored. He also was a threat on the basepaths with 18 stolen bases.

On the mound, a year ago, he led Portage County with nine wins and 96 strikeouts, and he also posted a 1.51 earned-run average. 

“He has been dominant,” Paes said.

The numbers quantify that dominance, but what can’t be seen inside the numbers are how Geddes has impacted his team and program are his attitude and approach.

In fact, it has earned Geddes, who has committed to play at Ohio Dominican University, a nickname: The Lab.

“We call him that because of his love for the game,” Paes said. “He loves baseball and is always happiest when he is running around on the diamond. He brings a sense of fun to the team that loosens up everyone and lets them enjoy what they are doing.”

Having fun playing baseball. Just the way it should be.

“His love for the game is infectious,” Paes added. “He truly loves to be there from the time he was a freshman until now. A lot of years I have to fight senioritis, but his attitude and love for the game has been as great as ever this year. He has all the talent in the world and will be truly missed as a player, but more importantly as a human being.”

That trust has been apparent on the field, as well, with Paes having the ability to place Geddes anywhere and expect the same results.

Just last week, Geddes played centerfield for the first time in his career, and he made a leaping catch that saved the inning. He is an electric infielder and, according to Paes, a relatively unknown fact is that Geddes’ best position is probably catcher. Versatility has also been part of his offense, as well, starting as the team’s leadoff before shifting to the three-spot as he gained power and strength as an upperclassman.

Just another part of what makes Geddes the seven-tool player that he is.

And it is only a matter of time before he becomes an eight-tool player.