BUTLER TWP — For Tyler Rekich, baseball season never ends.

His baseball career may just be getting started.

Rekich, 12, plays for three teams — the Butler Twisters (combination of Butler Township and Center Township players), the Kelly Automotive Astros and the Butler Township sanctioned team. He's excelled for all three.

“Tyler is considered one of the top players in the region by opposing (travel team) coaches,” said Chris Singleton, his sanctioned team coach. “He has all of the tools needed to be a great baseball player.

“He hits for average, he hits for power, he's a phenomenal pitcher, has a very strong arm and runs really fast.”

Within the past year, Rekich has achieved a pair of baseball rarities. He hit three home runs in a District 25 tournament game at Cranberry last summer.

He hit for the cycle — a single, double, triple and home run in the same game — for the Astros earlier this season.

“That is a pretty rare thing,” Astros coach Nate Rekich, Tyler's father, said. “He tripled down the right field line, doubled into the gap in center, singled to right and ended the game with a walk-off homer to center.

“Tyler would have had four home runs in that district game last year, but the outfielder reached above the fence to take the fourth one away.”

During his 16-game Twisters season, which ended Memorial Day weekend, Rekich hit .391 (14 for 36) with four home runs. What he's doing during the current Little League season dwarfs that.

“Rekich entered play Tuesday hitting .775 — 31 for 40 — with seven home runs. He is hitting the ball out of the park once every six at bats.

His on-base percentage is over .800, his slugging average off the charts.

“Tyler is a great example of how adults often times put too much stock in what a kid looks like when he's playing ball at age 7 or 8,” Singleton said. “Things change. Kids change. Some are late bloomers.

“That was partly Tyler's case, but he grew into his body, too. And he's practiced hard and has taken instruction from his father over the years.

“Tyler's out putting in the extra practice time that a lot of kids just won't do,” Singleton added.

At least once a week during the offseason, Nate Rekich takes his son to the Ball Zone, a local indoor facility, for baseball workouts. Tyler goes down to the basement at home every other day to hit balls off a tee, into a net.

“It just helps my swing,” he said. “It fixes stuff I have trouble with.”

His father said Tyler has no problem putting in the extra time to work on his game.

“He loves baseball. It's as simple as that,” Nate Rekich said.

No argument from Tyler — no matter what uniform he's wearing.

“I like playing baseball,” Tyler said. “Pitching is my favorite position, though, because it's the most active position.”

He will be the No. 1 pitcher for Butler Township when sanctioned tournament play begins June 29. But he's also played first base, shortstop and center field this season.

Tyler's favorite major league team is the Pirates. His favorite player is Josh Harrison.

“He hustles all the time, no matter where he's playing or what the score is,” Tyler said. “That's the way I like to play.”