Any fan, coach, and teammate would love to have a corner infielder capable of hitting .400 with plenty of pop to spare anchoring their batting order. For the Bluffton Beavers and Coach James Grandey they have such a player on their team.

2010 would be a season that saw Tyler Stephenson emerge as one of Ohio's top players providing hope that the corner may be turning in the near-future for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference member, with success on the horizon for Bluffton. Not that his freshman season would not lend one to believe a potential All-Region could be found on the Beavers' roster.

By way of Springfield, Ohio, where he attended Northwestern High School, from day one Stephenson has embarked on a path that has his name littering the Bluffton baseball record books.

In 32 games as a freshman Stephenson would go 35-for-112, finishing 2009 with a .313 batting average. 21 runs were accounted for as the third baseman touched 51 bases by way of six doubles, two triples, and two home runs. With a .455 slugging percentage, Stephenson was able to drive in 23 runs, a tally that would finished tied-for-second on the team.

The debut season would provide a solid foundation for Stephenson to build upon in his second season against HCAC opponents.

Appearing in all 40 games for the 17-23 Beavers, Stephenson would pace all hitters with his .401 average among those who appeared in at least 20 games in 2010. Single-season Bluffton records would be established in both at-bats (167), and hits (67). Nearly a third of Stephenson's hit would be for extra-bases as he tallied 12 doubles, three triples, and seven home runs. His 37 runs, 36 RBI, and .635 slugging percentage would be second-best for Bluffton in 2010.

On the mound in 2010, the right-handed pitcher went 3-1 with a 5.74 ERA. Stephenson toed the rubber in 10 games for the Beavers tallying 15.2 inning, as he struck out eight while limited the opposition to a .297 batting average. The numbers showed improvement from 2009 when he went 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA, tossing 13.1 innings in 10 games, finishing with a .328 BAA.

It is at the plate though where Stephenson provides the most impact. As he received honorable mention all-conference honors in 2010, he enters the upcoming season in a position to take over as the HCAC's top third baseman. Two of the first-team selections have departed due to graduation, and Stephenson is just now entering his upperclassmen years already tenth in school history in batting average (.366), slugging (.563), and home runs (nine).

Bluffton was able to improve its win total from 2009 to 2010, just as Stephenson was able to increase his offensive production across the board, he also advanced greatly in the field at the hot corner. 2011 may be a season where the Beavers emerge as HCAC contenders with Stephenson leading the way, continuing his development as one of Ohio's best.