SLIPPERY ROCK — Talk about a beacon.

While Slippery Rock University’s baseball team continues to struggle with its worst start in years — 6-21 overall, 1-7 in the PSAC West — sophomore catcher Tyler Walters shines on.

The Saegertown graduate is hitting .489 — more than 100 points higher than any teammate — and leads The Rock with eight homers, 33 RBI, 11 doubles and a .520 on-base percentage.

“He’s one of the best players in the conference without question,” SRU coach Jeff Messer said. “He has been since he got here.

“Tyler is right up there with the best to ever play for me. He’s in the top five ... probably the top two or three.”

That’s saying something, since Messer is in his 31st season as Rock baseball coach.

A three-time all-state catcher in high school, Walters spurned a number of Division I scholarship offers — Pitt and Creighton among them — to come to SRU.

“I grew up in a small town and I wanted to keep it that way, go to a small school,” Walters said. “I have family in Meadville and family in Pittsburgh, so this is right in the middle.

“There’s plenty of talent on this team. We’ll get it going.”

Walters has never stopped going since he joined The Rock program. He was PSAC West Freshman of the Year last season, hitting .367 and setting SRU freshman records of 13 homers and 48 runs scored.

He’s taken his game to another level this year, despite missing out on developmental time between seasons. Walters underwent surgery June 29 of last year for a torn labrum in his shoulder.

“My shoulder started feeling sore toward the end of last (college) season,” Walters said. “I threw out nine of the first 10 runners trying to steal before it started bothering me.”

Walters wound up throwing out 10 of 18 runners on the year.

He went on to begin a summer season in Maryland “when I completely blew it out,” Walters said of his shoulder.

This summer, Walters plans to play baseball in Alaska.

“I hope he comes back,” Messer said, jokingly. “That kid loves the outdoors.

“Tyler is constantly working to get better. He has his eye on the next level. He wants to get there and there’s no reason why he can’t.”

Walters’ recovery time after surgery was eight to 12 months. That meant he had to miss all of The Rock’s fall baseball activities.

And sitting around is definitely not his thing.

“I hated it,” he said. “But even though I couldn’t physically participate, I still felt responsible for getting myself ready. I felt guilty watching all of the other guys on the field working hard to get better and I couldn’t be there.

“There was still mental preparation for me to do. Intelligence is a big part of being a catcher. You have to know your pitchers and get them to feel comfortable with you. I did a lot of studying that way.”

Walters began this season as a designated hitter. His first game behind the plate wasn’t until last weekend’s series opener with Mercyhurst — 25 games into the season.

“That felt so good ... It was almost like being home,” Walters said.

With 21 homers in barely one and a half college seasons, Walters already stands sixth on SRU’s all-time career list. Another eight homers would put him in second. He has a shot at breaking Nate Thimons’ Rock record of 40 homers, set from 1996-99.

But first things first. His team needs wins.

“We’ve still got time to get something done and I’m confident we will,” Walters said.