KARNS CITY — Ty Belles is an incoming freshman at Karns City High School.

Get used to the name.

“You're going to be hearing it a lot,” said Jay Fennell, who coaches Belles with the Hard Core Elite summer baseball program. “He's one of the best athletes I've ever coached.

“The kid is hitting .578 and has nine home runs. This is summer travel baseball. You just don't see that sort of thing.”

The son of 1993 Butler Eagle Football Scoring Trophy winner Rick Belles, Ty further demonstrated his prowess on the diamond at the recent Duke University Baseball Camp.

Competing in the 12-13 age group, Ty won the award for highest bat velocity at 78 miles per hour. He also pitched the hardest fastball at 74 mph and was fastest in the 60-meter dash at 7.34 seconds.

There were 60 players competing in his age group.

This marked the second successive summer in which Ty attended the Duke camp. The Blue Devils were 45-18 this season and reached the NCAA Super Regional.

“My brother (Eric McCue) lives down there and helped to get me signed up for that camp,” Ty Belles said. “I did OK there last year, but I feel like I broke through this time.

“Eric played college baseball and I want to do the same.”

McCue played club baseball for the University of Pittsburgh in 2013-14.

Ty stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 170 pounds.

“He's got a power bat, but he runs like the wind, too,” Fennell said. “The kid has always been a man-child and he can play anywhere in the field.”

Ty doesn't know his stolen base total this summer, but said “I steal second pretty much every time I get on first base.”

He hit 16 home runs as a 12-year-old last season.

Besides baseball, he plays football and basketball. He is expected to be quarterback of the Gremlins' freshman team this fall.

“I wouldn't be surprised if he impacts all three sports pretty quickly,” KC varsity baseball coach Josh “Sluggo” Smith said. “Ty is an athlete who's always been in the spotlight for his age and he's used to that.

“He won't be intimidated by anything as a freshman. His type only comes along once in a long while. He's a good kid who comes from a good family.”

While Ty hopes to start for the Gremlins baseball team as a freshman, he takes nothing for granted.

“My goal is to play right away, but I know I have to earn it,” he said. “There's a lot of good players at Karns City in every sport.”

Ty bats third in the lineup for the Hard Core Elite. He has pitched, caught, played shortstop and third base.

“Wherever my team needs me, that's where I'll play,” he said. “I like any position.

“I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing in high school.”

And Smith is looking forward to having him.

“I've known Ty and his family for a while. I play softball with Rick,” he said. “I know how dedicated the family is to sports.

“Ty's name will be a big part of Karns City athletics for the next few years. I have little doubt about that.”