Lee’s Summit West’s Mr. Everything, Monte Harrison, narrowed his career path to baseball

When Monte Harrison was in the sixth grade — playing baseball on a traveling team that featured kids two years older than he was — Lee’s Summit West football coach Royce Boehm predicted he was destined for high school stardom.

But Harrison surpassed even Boehm’s expectations.

Harrison concluded his high school career as a member of The Star’s All-Metro first team in baseball, basketball and football.

Two weeks after he graduated from high school, Harrison became a professional athlete. After being selected 50th overall in the 2014 MLB Draft last week, Harrison signed a $1.8 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

“He’s one of the most special athletes we’ve ever seen in this area,” Boehm said.

When he signed with the Brewers, Harrison passed on an offer to play baseball and football at Nebraska. He was rated as a four-star wide receiver. Huskers football coach Bo Pelini had already talked about starting Harrison as a freshman.

As a receiver, rusher and punt returner, Harrison scored 28 touchdowns in his senior season, while helping Lee’s Summit West to the Missouri Class 5 state championship. He caught 60 passes for 1,007 yards.

On the basketball court, Harrison posted averages of 15.7 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Titans, who placed third in Missouri Class 5.

And on the baseball field, he batted .433 with 12 doubles, two triples and two home runs. He drove in 35 runs in 90 at-bats.

This story was originally published June 12, 2014 at 7:59 PM with the headline "Lee’s Summit West’s Mr. Everything, Monte Harrison, narrowed his career path to baseball."