Technically, Tyler Feller isn’t supposed to be playing American Legion Baseball this summer.

Someone forgot to tell him.

Feller, a 15-year-old catcher/infielder and the youngest player on the Powell Pioneers 18U squad this season, has been forced to learn on the fly and is finding success in spite of it.

Because Powell’s Babe Ruth Baseball program (ages 13-15) folded earlier this year, Feller was moved into the more advanced American Legion a year early. So instead of an extra season of development with ballplayers his age, the youngster is now competing against athletes as old as 19. In light of the sudden hike in competition, Feller is relishing in the added challenge with a positive attitude and an eagerness to learn.

“It’s been pretty easy and fun, but the biggest challenge is the older guys: they throw a lot harder, they hit a lot harder and it’s just different in a lot of ways,” Feller said. “But I’ve been playing with some of these guys before and I know how they play, so that’s helped.”

His age combined with the veteran presence currently suiting up for Powell (7-11 this season) should have kept Feller in more of a reserve role. But with a sudden need for a full-time catcher before the start of the season, the natural second baseman raised his hand. Feller’s initiative and team-first attitude immediately impressed Powell head coach Jason Borders.

“The biggest thing for me is that when we asked for a catcher, he stepped up,” Borders said. “He looked at it, took the opportunity we presented to him and took it and went with it.

“He could have just stayed back and not said anything, but I said ‘Who wants 200 at-bats and wants to play every game?’ and he stood up.”

Understandably, Feller hasn’t maxed out his stat line yet. In 16 games played, he’s hitting just 9 for 41 at the plate (.220 batting average) with five walks, four runs scored and two runs batted in. But he’s showing flashes of brilliance, Borders said.

“He’s a player,” the coach stated. “He’s hitting the ball as well as half my guys. He’s young, but he has such a mature approach to this game.

“Some of these 18- or 19-year-old pitchers in the league are up there throwing gas at him and he doesn’t back down; he just hangs tough.”

Feller’s most apparent growth, however, may be behind the plate, where he’s handled a talented and experienced starting pitching staff that includes 19-year-old Cory Heny and 18-year-olds Matt Brown and Grady Sanders.

“He hasn’t had any catching experience before this, and he’s honestly taking everything we’re telling him and he’s trying hard,” Heny said. “He’s putting it into game situations, and it’s going to take time, but he’s already done a lot for us.”

In 83 defensive chances, Feller has two errors, but has shown enough to maintain Borders’ confidence.

“He handles the pitchers like a kid that’s been doing it for years,” Borders added. “I know down in Babe Ruth (pitchers) weren’t throwing curveballs that break as much as they do up here. I guarantee they didn’t have different bunt plays or first-and-third defenses ... he never had to pay attention to that stuff.

“But he picked it up real quick and knew exactly what he wanted to do with (the ball). You don’t see that from a kid that young.”

For Feller, taking on a new position was as much about helping his team as it was about establishing himself and showing his teammates he could contribute now — not in his previously-expected ETA of 2016. Feller recalled one moment during the Roy Peck Memorial Tournament in Riverton on June 4-6 that reassured him he’s on the right track.

“There was a play down in Riverton where a guy was stealing home, and Cory pitched it to me and I basically caught the ball with one hand and tagged the guy out,” Feller explained. “That made me feel like I was handling the position all right.

“I just wanted to prove myself in this new league, so I stepped up and tried something new.”

While Feller still has room to grow both at and behind the plate, his humble and modest attitude may be what propels him even further over the coming years.

“I need to work on my throw-down abilities as catcher; I’ve only gotten two guys out on throw downs so I really do need to work on that,” he said. “But baseball is just a fun sport. My dad has helped me through it, my coaches and teammates, and I just get to be out here with my friends and have fun.”