Need a shortstop or third baseman? Brighton senior Bennett Stutts has you covered.
How about an outfielder, pitcher or, even in a pinch, a catcher? No problem.
That’s a big reason why Stutts was attractive to college coaches and it all added up to him signing a baseball scholarship last Friday with Dyersburg State Community College, one of the top two-year baseball schools in the South.
Brighton head coach Ryan Wood said Stutts will probably be asked to pitch more this season but acknowledged his true value, especially to a college program like DSCC, is his versatility.
“It’s been nice having a utility guy for four years. That will definitely serve him well at the next level,” Wood said. “He’s a plug-and-play kind of guy, just an athletic kid who can play anywhere. He can hit anywhere in the order, top, middle. Ever since he’s been here he plays where you need him. It’s not a sleight, it’s a compliment. He can play multiple positions at a high level. He could even catch if you needed him to.”
Why did Stutts choose DSCC? It’s pretty simple.
“Because they’re winners and they win,” Stutts said. “I know lots of guys who who have played there and transferred to four-year schools. That’s my goal. That’s what I want to do.”
While Stutts is probably known primarily as a guy who can play anywhere, he also produces offensively. Between his sophomore and junior years his batting average jumped 80 points to nearly .400.
DSCC has a been a destination for several former Brighton players. A pair of 2023 Covington guys – Parker Davis and Holden Warmath – are also headed there.
“We’ve had a bunch of guys go there,” Wood said. “They were developed and went on to four-year schools. That’s definitely something Bennett can do, too.”
