Indiana second baseman Tyler Cerny throws to first base in a game against Iowa this season.
Submitted photo | Indiana Athletics
Jeff Mercer was attending a Center Grove game during the 2019 season when his coaching instincts locked onto the team’s freshman infielder.
Unaware the Indiana University coach was present, the normally sure-handed Tyler Cerny found himself struggling during pregame fielding drills.
Mercer, however, was able to see through the occasional booted ground ball.
“I remember watching Tyler, and he made a couple of errors and was frustrated and upset,” said Mercer, the Franklin graduate now in his fifth season in charge of the Hoosiers. “He had such a high standard for his own performance.
“His competitive nature was just so high. Sometimes guys at that age are tentative, but he was just super competitive.”
Mercer knew he had to have Cerny on his roster — someday.
Indiana’s 2023 season is someday, and Cerny, a freshman second baseman who has started 39 of the team’s first 44 games, was batting .288 with six doubles, three triples, seven home runs and an on-base plus slugging of .859 entering Sunday’s weekend series finale against Maryland.
Furthermore, he’s been among IU’s best when it comes to stealing bases, having been successful in all but one of his seven attempts.
Division I freshman baseball players oftentimes require a phasing-in process before becoming completely comfortable with the obvious jump in the talent. Cerny’s lasted three games.
Indiana opened the season with a series at Auburn before returning to Bloomington for the home opener on Feb. 21. Cerny, who had verbally committed to play baseball at IU the summer before his sophomore year at Center Grove, made his first collegiate start in what amounted to a 13-5 Hoosiers victory.
He singled, stole a base and scored two runs.
“I’ve never been more nervous playing baseball,” said Cerny, laughing. “Once I stepped into the batter’s box for the first time, it was just a different atmosphere. I think it was the next at-bat that I got my first hit, an infield single.”
Cerny hasn’t slowed down; he delivered four hits in a mid-April win at Illinois, and he’s had four more outings in which he finished with three hits.
A level of self-assuredness born out of hard work plays a significant role in his success.
“That’s just always how I’ve been,” said Cerny, who credits his parents (Jason and Raeanne) for instilling the confidence and work ethic that have become his trademark. “I always expect the best out of myself, and I think that helps me during games to stay focused.
“I knew I had a chance to play right away, but knew I had to work my butt off. Your schedule in college is always packed. You always have something to do. Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming, but it’s what I signed up for. To be a college baseball player.”
Since taking over the IU program, Mercer has had players earn freshman All-American honors, including three last season (Carter Mathison, third baseman Josh Pyne and first baseman Brock Tibbitts).
Mercer feels strongly that Cerny’s first season is on a similar trajectory.
“Every player I’ve coached who has been successful, they’ve had that,” Mercer said. “Tyler’s standard for himself is higher than what other people have for him. You know he’s going to go to work, and you know he’s going to compete.”
