Landon Hallett’s contributions to the Pennington School baseball team’s 16-2 record and NJISAA Prep B championship were impressive, but his contributions to the Proof Positive organization are probably more important in the overall scheme of life.
And that’s saying something, considering the sophomore shortstop led the Red Hawks in hits (30) and batting average (.469) while finishing second in RBI (26) and runs (26). He also had a 2.80 ERA in five mound appearances.
“He’s a big reason why we were as successful as we were,” said Pennington coach Steve Kowalski.
He is also a key reason why area residents with autism have smiles on their faces at Proof Positive; a locally founded organization that is dedicated to improving the well being of autistic people and their families, providers and communities.
Hallett began at Proof Positive two years ago as a peer mentor in their pilot program. It has made a huge impact not only on those with autism, but on the volunteer himself.
“I think it has helped me as much, or more, as it has them,” he said. “ The experience has helped me grow personally, and has helped me appreciate those little things and how doing small acts of kindness can go a long way.”
It has also helped provide the best of both his worlds.
“I have been able to share my passion for baseball with them and now we love going to Phillies games together, they even show up to cheer me on in my games,” he continued. “Friendship is very important to happiness and I have enjoyed learning what it means to be friends to teens with autism.”
Along with trips to Citizens Bank Park, Landon teaches his friends about fantasy football, or may take them out rafting or climbing.
“But it’s also about just being present and spending time together,” he noted, “like watching a Sunday football game – and seeing the joy it can bring.”
It is the kind of joy Hallett feels he will continue to experience as a volunteer or “even a profession later in life.”
While that is encouraging for those with autism, the Pennington resident also has a future in college baseball if he maintains his current pace.
The middle infielder, who mainly played shortstop this season, hit .361 with 13 hits as a freshman. After the season, Kowalski invited him to play with an 18U U.S. Elite Showcase team that featured competition three years older than Hallett.
“We’re playing teams with graduating 2023 seniors, and he’s just coming off one freshman year of varsity baseball facing kids that are already committed to the Division I level,” the coach said. “He didn’t back down, continued to just get hits and did not fear when stepping to the plate against some of the top talent we’ve seen.
“That just translated to this season where he just completely took off. It’s really cool to watch.”
Hallett felt the 18U experience made him grow up quicker in terms of baseball, since he was going against bigger, stronger and more experienced players.
“(You’re facing) pitchers that might throw high 80s, low 90s,” he said. “It was tough for sure but it definitely set the stage for this season for me. The speed of the game at that level is just different.
“Going into the season, I wanted to build on what I did last year and over the summer. It was tough moving into the three hole because I didn’t get to see a ton of fastballs but every at-bat I was just looking to hit the ball hard somewhere. It also helps when everyone around you is getting on base — Will (Bercaw), Ronan (Hwang), Gavin (Leeds), Caleb (Hibbert), Ray (Heaton), Bryce (Meccage) — everyone was hitting.”
Landon was also pleased to be able to contribute on the mound and eat up innings for the Hawks. But his biggest contribution was offensively, and much of that had to do with a simple approach at the plate.
“He doesn’t try to do too much,” Kowalski said. “And when he does it’s when he kind of gets himself into some trouble or doesn’t have consistent success. His swing is very compact. He’s got a great middle to opposite field approach. Once he tries to get out of that and pull the ball and hit home runs and hit for power it’s not really his game yet. I told him ‘You bring exactly what we need by consistently getting on base, putting the ball in play, hitting line drives gap to gap.”
Hallett began playing T-ball at age 6 in West Windsor and when the family moved to Pennington a year later he began with Hopewell recreation and travel teams. A middle infielder from the start, Landon moved on to travel ball with the CJ Rebels, Trenton Thunder Academy, the 9ers and currently the Centercourt Makos.
Entering his freshman year at Pennington, Hallett “just wanted to play.” He got a two-run pinch-single in the season opener but sat the next two games. Prior to game four against Hun, Kowalski asked Landon if he was OK going against high velocity pitching. The 9th-grader didn’t flinch, entered the lineup and remained there for the rest of the season.
His goals of winning the Mercer County and Prep B tournaments went unfulfilled, but he got one of those this year with the state crown.
“The team took a trip out to Pasadena, California, before the season and I feel like that was a good experience for us to build some chemistry and also get our work in,” he said. “We played a few California teams so I think that trip gave us a good start to the season.
“From there we started stringing wins together – our pitching was solid, lots of guys were hitting and things were falling our way. I think we really bonded with that experience and the help of the seniors, including everyone in our postgame Chipotle runs. The championship game (a 2-0 win over Rutgers Prep) was such an awesome experience.”
Along with baseball and his work at Proof Positive, Hallett also plays basketball and is a member of Pennington’s entrepreneurship and sports statistics club. This summer he will play American Legion ball for Lawrence and also play several college showcases, including a big one in Long Island.
Kowalski is thrilled to have him for two more years, saying “he’s always the center of attention, even older kids kind of look up to him.”
In essence, he is the kind of all-around young man any coach loves to have.
“He’s as extremely confident and comfortable as a person as he is as a player,” Kowalski said. “Landon never falters, I could yell at him, I could praise him. His demeanor is just very steadfast.
“He doesn’t blink in the face of adversity, and that gives him the perfect mindset and personality to work with these (autistic) kids who you probably have to have some patience with. He seems to really enjoy all the activities he does with them. And that just speaks to the kind of person he is.”
Landon Hallett right holds the Prep B State championship trophies with mom Heather at Diamond Nation in Flemington. (Photo courtesy of Thomas Hallett.),
