Schuck on a Truck: Lucas Loos discusses summer with Gems, transfer to EIU, passion for baseball

QUINCY — Lucas Loos is a making a case to be the Prospect League’s Player of the Year.

Friday night, the case grew stronger.

The Quincy Gems third baseman belted his league-leading 13th home run during a 13-3, seven-inning victory over the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp. The Payson Seymour graduate finished 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs, increasing his season total to a league-leading 62 RBIs.

What he’s done down the stretch has been impressive. In his last 11 starts, Loos is hitting .439 with 15 runs scored, five home runs and 23 RBIs. The Gems have gone 9-2 in that stretch, climbing to first place in the Great River Division and earning a playoff berth.

In two summers playing with the Gems, Loos has hit 22 home runs and driven in 92 runs.

No wonder the former John Wood Community College is seen as a good fit for Eastern Illinois University.

At JWCC, Loos broke the single-season record for doubles with 26 and tied the career record with 34, while smacking 29 career home runs (one short of the record) and matching Ryan Barnett’s career record with 125 career RBIs. It landed him a scholarship to Oakland University, where he led the Golden Grizzlies with a .315 average last spring while hitting five home runs with 37 RBIs.

It wasn’t the right fit, so he entered the transfer portal and found the perfect fit at EIU.

Loos joined Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman on the tailgate of his truck to discuss playing for the Gems, his natural power and his experience in the transfer portal for this episode of “Schuck on a Truck,” brought to you by Area Distributors.