NATCHEZ — Natchez High School’s Jatavis Melton stands a few feet off of first base.

He is leaning to his right watching the opposing team’s pitcher — specifically the pitcher’s front leg. Once the rival ace lifts his leg, Melton is off.

“(Melton) has the green light,” said Natchez baseball coach Dan Smith. “He can go whenever he wants.”

Melton is a thief. He doesn’t steal money or candy bars, though. Melton swipes bases.

In today’s world of baseball, a lot of players want to be like the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton — an athlete who can knock a ball out of the park at any given time. But for guys like Melton, he is helping bring back a different technique.

“Now, as you see in baseball, the game is going back to the speed game,” Smith said. “Back in the day, they used to hit a lot of home runs. Now a days, they are using a lot of guys like (Cincinnati Reds player) Billy Hamilton. They are going to more small ball in the major leagues. They are going back to the speed game.”

Ever since Melton can remember, he has been stealing bases. From his days in Dixie Youth Baseball to now, Melton has tried to be like guys such as Hamilton and Seattle Mariners’ Dee Gordon.

Melton’s base stealing ability has been on full displayed ever since he put on a Bulldog uniform. According to MaxPreps, the senior stole 17 bases during his sophomore year, 50 last season and has stolen 39 so far in 2018. And every time Melton takes off to loot a base, he is confident he will get there safely.

“I know I’m going to get there,” Melton said. “I want to get to the base because we got to score. If we are down or if we are up, I want to win. I have to get to the base. That’s the mentality every time.”

While speed might seem like the most crucial piece to stealing a base, Smith said there is more to it.

Smith said the most important thing a player needs to do is read the pitcher. One needs to correctly determine whether the pitcher will try and throw them out or try to toss one down the middle.

While reading the pitcher is a crucial key to a successful steal, so is getting a good jump.

“Speed will make a better base stealer, but the most important thing is getting a good jump,” said Vidalia baseball coach Mike Norris. “I have had fast guys who weren’t stealers but I had slower guys who could read the pitcher well. Now you can’t be slow, but getting a good jump is key.”

Luckily for Smith, Melton is able to read the pitcher efficiently and quickly.

“He’s got good instincts and his reflexes are very quick,” Smith said. “He can read the pitcher really quick and on top of that, he is fast. But a lot of times, fast doesn’t mean a lot for stealing bases. You have to read the pitcher. He studies a lot. He is like Billy Hamilton.”

While Melton is Natchez’s key looter, Christian Fort and Tony Tolliver are Vidalia’s.

“Christian Fort gets really good jumps, while Tony Tolliver works the lead — works that extra step,” Norris said.

Norris calls that stealing steps. A player takes his lead, and then when the pitcher looks back at the catcher he takes an extra step or two. Norris said the pitcher won’t know that you grew your lead and it can help a player steal a base easier.

Smith’s word when it comes to the art of base stealing must mean a lot, too, as he coached former Port Gibson standout Silento Sayles — who can be considered the best base thief in high school history.

Back in 2013, Sayles recorded 103 stolen bases. That topped the former national record of 96 steals and shattered the old Mississippi state record.

Although Smith considers Melton the second best base looter he has ever coached, he is more than willing to rely on Melton’s abilities in any given situation.

“I’ll take my chances with him,” Smith said. “Probably eight out of 10 times. A lot of times you have good catchers and pitchers also. You never want to underestimate the opponent either. But I just have faith in his abilities.”

And for Vidalia, it will take its chances with Fort and Tolliver when it comes to stealing bases.

“They have what coaches call ‘the green light.’,” Norris said. “They both can build a good enough lead. They also understand the game situations well. If they know the opponent has a good catcher, they will need to work their lead better. They both understand the game.”

While Melton is almost guaranteed to successfully take a base — last year he successfully stole all 50 of his attempts according to MaxPreps — he doesn’t get t0o mad if a pitcher or catcher does throw him out.

“If I know I got a good jump and the catcher still throws me out, he is just a good catcher,” Melton said. “Yet, most of the time, I’m going to get there. I don’t have to be worried about that.”

At the end of day, Melton feels good knowing he can take any base he wants at any given time.

“It feels good to me because not too many people can do it,” Melton said.