The Best 9 Sports Academy Player of the Month of November is Jake Mueller.

The 12-year-old Mueller has been a Best 9 member since the facility opened, and is one of the top young players in the CSRA. A slick-fielding defensive shortstop and second baseman, Mueller is also an outstanding young hitter with excellent speed and baseball instincts.

Mueller currently is playing for the Columbia Heat in Columbia, S.C. Despite skipping 13U and moving up to 14U and being one of the youngest players on the team, Mueller leads the Heat with a .453 batting average, 20 stolen bases and a .611 on-base percentage in 20 games this fall, batting in the No. 2-hole.

Prior to re-joining the Heat in August, Mueller played one season with the 12U Majors Midlands Express out of Columbia, leading the Express with a .592 batting average (87-for-147), 74 runs scored, 54 RBI, 57 stolen bases and a .678 on-base percentage in 62 games during the 2009 season (Fall 2008 and Spring 2009).

Mueller plays middle school ball locally in Augusta for St. Mary's. As a sixth grader in his first season at St. Mary's in the Spring of 2009, Mueller led the Saints with a .516 batting average and .625 on-base percentage.

The 5-foot-5, 110-pounder has been featured as one of the top youth prospects in South Carolina by Junior Diamond Prospects, a scouting service based in Columbia.

Mueller's goal is to play Division I college baseball, preferably for North Carolina, South Carolina or Clemson.

Jake's love of the game also goes beyond playing. Recently, Mueller decided he wanted to give back to the game and work with his younger brother, Kevin. He made his first foray into coaching this fall, serving as an assistant coach to his dad, Rob, in the Martinez-Evans Little League Machine Pitch program.

"I love the game of baseball and the coaches at Best 9 have been working with me to help me become a better ballplayer," Mueller says. "My dream is to play college and hopefully pro ball someday, and I know I have the heart and work ethic to reach for my dreams."

Jake has worked with Best 9 instructors Chris Tate on hitting, Fernando Mickens on defense and hitting, and Robbie Wachman on pitching.

"I am lucky that I have some great coaches at Best 9 who are willing to work with me and teach me what I need to succeed," Jake says.

Congratulations Jake on all your success. See you at Best 9!