Simeon’s Trey Butler on cusp of big things

Trey Butler started playing baseball when he was 3 years old, pretty much as soon as he could hit a ball off a tee.

“I feel like I was born into it,” the Simeon junior said. “I fell in love.”

The game has loved him back. He’s been a fixture in the Wolverines’ lineup as a center fielder and leadoff hitter since the beginning of his freshman season. And in the transfer portal era when high school players are often afterthoughts in the recruiting process, he’s already committed to national power Louisville.

Butler, whose given name is Dennis, comes from a baseball family. His father, also named Dennis, is the Wolverines’ head coach. He credits his grandfather and uncle for also providing support over the years. And he knows he’s following in the footsteps of some great players at Simeon, which has long been a Public League power.

One of them was outfielder Corey Ray, a first-round draft pick of the Brewers in 2016 who briefly played for the big-league team in 2021.

Butler saw Ray play at Simeon growing up. “He was an outstanding player,” Butler said. “I enjoyed watching him play and it motivated me to come to Simeon and kind of do what he did.”

All along, the Butlers have been a package deal, with Dennis coaching Trey since the latter was 6 years old.

“It’s a big connection with me and my dad,” the younger Butler said. “We feel like we can accomplish anything.”

In his first two high school seasons, Butler established himself as one of the best players in the Public League and the state. He batted .398 with 42 runs, 20 RBIs and 40 stolen bases as a freshman. Last year, those numbers were even better: .442, 50 runs, 25 RBIs and 59 steals.

He’s on track to challenge the Public League and state career stolen-base records: 183 by Morgan Park’s Chris Vaughn from 1999-2002 and 210 by Waltonville’s Tim Dressler from 1981-84.

Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

Little wonder Butler’s favorite player growing up was White Sox veteran Billy Hamilton, whose career has been built on his elite speed. Lately, he’s also been a fan of Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, another premier base-stealer.

“He always looks like he’s having fun playing the game,” Butler said of Hamilton. “That’s the most important part of the game, to have fun. Just come out here, play hard and do your best to go win the game.”

Butler also played football and wrestled when he was younger, but now playing baseball is his sole focus. Having his college future sorted out with two years of high school left is just part of that mindset.

“I feel like it takes a lot of stress off your back,” Butler said. “But at the same time it adds a lot because more people are going to come out [to watch] because of your name.”

The spotlight will continue to be on at Louisville, which has made 13 trips to the NCAA Tournament since 2007 and reached five College World Series in that span.

“I like how the program works hard all day, every day,” Butler said. “I like how they take care of their players. I like how they’ve got a good academic system. You’ve got [assistant] coach [Eric] Snider over there, [head] coach [Dan} McDonnell. Those are some pretty good guys to work with.”

His dad is another good coach to work with. The elder Butler has led the Wolverines to five straight regional titles (not including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season) and four consecutive top-two finishes in the top-tier Jackie Robinson South section.

Separating his coach and dad roles hasn’t always been easy.

“Sometimes I just [got] caught up watching [him],” Dennis Butler said. “Now it’s fine. I get out of daddy mode and just coach him.”

The younger Butler doesn’t need much pushing though. He’s often at Simeon by 6 a.m., hitting in the indoor batting cage in the school’s old gym.

That’s why Trey Butler’s ceiling is high, his father believes.

“He just tries to get better and better,” Dennis Butler said. “Some kids, you know, [are] dominant at 12. Then they stop [improving]. The goal is always to get better day by day.”

And that’s the way it’s been, ever since Trey Butler was hitting off the tee as a 3-year-old.