Baseball player Paul Komistek commits to Vols – Knoxville News Sentinel

It’s called the wow factor, and Knoxville Christian School baseball coach Patrick Wade said that Paul Komistek is one of those rare players who has it.

Komistek, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound sophomore, passed the eye test with the Tennessee coaching staff, too.

Tennessee offered Komistek a scholarship Wednesday, and the multiple-positional player committed to the Vols for the class of 2018.

“I had a bunch of schools looking at me, but UT is my hometown school where I’ve always wanted to go,” said Komistek.

“Players like him don’t come around very often,” said Wade.

“When the competition rises, he rises. At the next level, I think he’s a can’t-miss guy. We’re excited for Paul. It couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Wade said that Komistek has a complete arsenal of skills.

“It all starts with his mental capacity. He’s a very intelligent kid, and his physical ability is just God-given. He is a student of the game, and that’s one of the attributes that’s hard to get out of a kid now.”

Knoxville Christian finished 19-6 last season, in just its third year with a baseball program.

The Knights play in the National Athletic Christian Association, but plan to begin play in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in 2017, according to Wade.

Komistek batted .396 and had an on-base-percentage of .515 for the Knights last season. He also had the first grand slam in the history of the program.

Wade said that Komistek is formidable at the plate.

“He has an eye for the strike zone,” said Wade.

“He makes contact and he hits for power. Paul is going to be able to hit you a home run. On the flip side, he can lay down a bunt to beat you on the squeeze. He runs 6.8 or 6.9 (seconds) in the 60-yard dash.”

Mike Blackerby is a freelance contributor.