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IllustrateD volume 24, issue 4 75 f Unexpected Leader McHugh has risen to high-profile role Sean McHugh was content being in the background. On the 2012 Big Ten Championship team full of stars, McHugh played a smaller role, but one that gave him opportunities to shine. The primary backup to catcher Kevin Plawecki, now a top prospect in the Mets' minor league farm system, McHugh started only 10 games be- hind the plate and played in 20 others. But he certainly took advantage of his limited time, collecting 24 RBIs in only 84 at-bats, including a game-tying two-run home run with two outs in the ninth of an extra-inning win vs. Indiana State. But his time in the shadows is over; one of only three seniors in 2014, McHugh's taken over leadership of an overwhelmingly youthful Boilermaker squad. It might be an unnatural fit for the unassuming McHugh, but he's making it work. "I was definitely a quieter kid in my early years and I was trying to be the kid that fit in," said McHugh, Pur- due's team MVP last season, his first full year as a start- er. "But I learned a ton from Kevin, in the leadership and the way he played and his aggressiveness, the way he took control of the game. And I'm trying to model that into mine. I definitely think this year, it's some- thing I've grown into." McHugh's versatility is a strength. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder will play either catcher or third base this season, splitting time between the two spots, but almost always being in the lineup. In 51 starts last season, 41 were at third, seven at catcher — a nagging hamstring injury kept him from behind the plate more often — and two at shortstop. He is multifaceted at the plate, too, leading Purdue in six offensive categories, includ- ing average (.298), RBI (31) and extra-base hits (16), but also in sacrifice bunts (seven). McHugh's performance on the field has made it easy for others to follow his lead. Over the years, he has shown a penchant for coming up big in big situations, a characteristic that's earned him the respect of his peers. He did so as a sophomore, coming off the bench vs. fellow NCAA Regional qualifier Indiana State to hit a homer with two out and two strikes in the last game at Lambert Field. As a rookie the year before, he delivered the walk-off single as a pinch-hitter in the 12th inning of a win over Indiana. "Getting those results boosted my confidence," said McHugh, who hit .362 with runners in scoring position last season, including 5-of-8 with the bases loaded. "Even if I didn't get those results, the fact that Coach (Doug) Schreiber had the trust to put me in those sit- uations would have done the same thing for my confi- dence. "The fact that I've been there and had good results helps me help younger guys in those situations, be- cause we're going to need those guys to step up. Be- ing able to slow the game down and take it one pitch at a time, those were the things that helped me out and those were the same things the older guys told me when I got into those spots." That McHugh has risen to such a high profile might be a bit of a surprise. Born in Indianapolis to Purdue graduates, McHugh moved to Kansas City when he was only 4. Years later, he started to get some interest from collegiate baseball programs, but not much from the Boilermakers. Tom Campbell Sean McHugh learned from one of the best in Purdue history, former catcher Kevin Plawecki. Now, he feels it's his time to lead the Boilers.