When he signs his scholarship papers in November, John Behrends will become the third Chattanooga-area baseball player associated with Belmont University.
Friend and current rival Cameron Wolfe of Baylor also has committed to the Nashville school, and former Baylor player Hunter Holland is prepping for his sophomore season.
"He reminds me of Kyler Burke hitting," new McCallie coach Tim Costo said.
Burke played at Ooltewah and signed with Vanderbilt but then was a first-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres.
"John's got that swing and that type body, so we'll see," Costo said. "He hits from the left side with pop, but the thing I like about him is that he's driving the ball the other way. If he's 100 percent healthy, he can be something special. I saw a huge leap from his sophomore to his junior season."
A 6-foot-1, 175-pounder, Behrends started every game for McCallie last season, playing left field and batting sixth. He hit .309 with a couple of homers, three triples and 24 RBIs.
"I hit all over the field - some home runs," he said. "I try to go with the pitch."
Behrends, who plays travel baseball with Xposure, might also pitch for the Tornado, but that remains to be seen. Costo hasn't seen him pitch, and the lefty is coming off arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove some loose cartilage.
"It's a question mark. We'll have to see how healthy he is, but I love his composure and the way he handles himself. He minimizes the peaks and valleys," Costo said.
McCallie has two other Division I commitments who also will sign with Nashville schools in November. Palmer Steventon will sign with Lipscomb University and Corbin Brooksbank with Vanderbilt.
Behrends is the son of former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball player Chris Behrends.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.