Kyle McCoy is a 15-year-old trying to make his way in a 17 year-old world. At least that was the case last weekend when the long lefty tossed a one-hit shutout in the Super 17 Invitational at Diamond Nation.

The Super 17 Invitational set up shop at Diamond Nation the past eight days, intriguing dozens of college scouts from New Jersey and beyond. McCoy is one of many of those talented young athletes to turn the heads of discerning baseball minds.

McCoy worked a near sterling seven innings against Grind Baseball Carolina last Saturday in guiding the Diamond Jacks Super 15 team to a 4-0 victory. The 6-3, 155-pound lefthander permitted just one hit, struck out 10, walked one and hit a batter while throwing a paltry 78 pitches.

“I was locating real well and getting ahead in counts,” said McCoy, interviewed on Thursday during a throwing session at Diamond Nation. “My off-speed stuff was working, my slider was working. I was throwing it in any count and working up and down in the zone.”

It was McCoy’s second start of the summer season, having scattered six hits in a victory over the Morris County Cubs two weekends earlier. McCoy permitted two runs in that one, striking out seven and walking none. “I’ve been trying to keep my walks down,” he said.

Diamond Jacks Super 15U coach Travis Anderson has been extremely pleased with McCoy’s development.

“Kyle’s fastball tops out at 81-83 but his fastball jumps on you and it really feels like mid-80s,” said Anderson, not one to be enamored with the radar gun. The former professional catcher always seems to break it down to brass tacks. “Kyle hides the ball real well. You don’t see the ball until it’s too late. He is going to have a good chance to win a lot of games for his team.”

And isn’t that what matters?

McCoy is also building a reputation for a strong work ethic and a desire to be a strident student of the game.

“One college coach saw Kyle picking our brains between innings,” said Anderson, and he said, “That’s what that kid is all about.”

Of course, the physical length will always play well and once the young man’s body fills out, the numbers the scouts desire will naturally follow. “He really works the hitter well,” said Anderson. “He gets after it, uses his length to his advantage and he’s very coachable.”

McCoy, coming off a 6-1 season with the Hunterdon Central junior varsity, pitches again at 10 a.m. on Sunday in the Super 16 Invitational.

McCoy said the game against Grind Baseball “was one of my strongest performances, especially considering it was seven innings. I don’t think I’ve been more dominating in a game.”