By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
When Joplin hired Kyle Wolf to coach baseball in 2017, the Eagles were coming off an 11-win season. Since then, they’ve increased their win total every year: 13 wins in 2018, 15 in 2019 and then last year’s 20-11 campaign that featured an 8-1 start and ended with a loss in the district championship game.
“To our guys’ credit they came in with a tremendous attitude and early in the season we probably had some of the best practices we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Wolf said. “They were invested and working hard. They knew the expectations and we just got after it. The way we attacked those early season practices really set us up for the season. I felt like we were a pretty good baseball team at the end of the year.”
Joplin returns about four starters and seven lettermen from that team, but has to replace some talented seniors lost to graduation. Kohl Cooper was a second team All-State outfielder and a first teamer in the Central Ozark Conference. Josh Harryman was a second team All-Conference pitcher, and Alex Curry was a second team All-Conference infielder.
The list of returners features three who earned postseason honors: senior Ethan Guilford, a second team All-Conference pitcher who also was All-District as a pitcher and third baseman; senior Bodee Carlson, an All-District infielder; and junior Justin McReynolds, an honorable mention All-District outfielder.
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Guilford is the team’s workhorse on the mound and he probably threw more innings last year than anybody since Wolf arrived at Joplin. He threw 57 innings last year, allowing 33 earned runs and striking out 49.
“If we could plan a rotation a little bit to get him into a big game situation we did and he answered the bell,” Wolf said. “Every time we needed him to have a good outing, he did. He started the district quarterfinal against Lebanon and put us in a good position to have a good district tournament.”
In addition to leading the pitching staff, Guilford will play third or first when he’s not pitching and should bat in the middle of the lineup and serve as a big run producer. He was a .241 hitter last year with 22 RBI’s, 13 runs scored and he collected eight extra-base hits and 16 walks.
Carlson played all over the infield but primarily at second and third. Wolf hopes to plant him at second base and let him excel at that spot, and he’ll bat towards the top of the order. Last season he was a .321 hitter who drove in 21 runs and scored 35. He added 19 walks and nine extra-base hits.
“He has a knack sometimes for coming up with a big hit when we need it,” he says. “We’re really looking for his leadership this season and looking for him to really be a catalyst for us.”
McReynolds started the second half of the season and is an athletic player who’s primarily an outfielder but can also pitch. When the coaching staff wanted to add some punch to the lineup it turned to McReynolds, who batted over .400 the rest of the way. He’ll be asked to do more on the mound this season, too.
“When he got his opportunity he took advantage of it and was really good for us down the stretch,” Wolf said.
The fourth player with some starting experience is junior Byler Reither, who saw time at shortstop and can put the ball in play to put a lot of pressure on a defense. Wolf expects him to be very good defensively, too.
The other three lettermen were Joe Jasper, a senior; Isaac Meadows, a senior; and Brady Mails, a junior. Jasper is a “tremendous leader” who plays a corner infield or outfield spot and should also provide pitching depth.
“He’s a winner,” Wolf said. “He’s going to raise everybody up a little bit and hold them to a standard. We really are looking for his leadership within our group to help us mature throughout the year.”
Meadows is a solid defensive outfielder who could also play at first. Wolf expects him to provide some intangibles like energy and positivity. And Mails is another good defensive outfielder who will also pitch with an ability to get batters off balance. He started in center field in the district tournament for the first time last year and Wolf said if not for his defense the team might not have advanced to the championship.
Senior Kyler Stokes is an “incredible athlete” who might be the best center fielder Wolf has coached. He should anchor the defense in center. Senior Tyler Shumann will be a key contributor as a catcher.
A group of juniors will also play big roles. Layton Copher is primarily an outfielder but could become one of the team’s top options on the mound. Jackson Queen is another catcher who will team up with Shumann behind the plate. Alex Isbell will pitch and possesses a good slider and two-seam fastball with run. Landon Maples is an infielder and pitcher and one of the best athletes on the team.
“The one thing I tell everybody is this group might be the most athletic group we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Wolf said. “When it comes to being able to run and throw, all those skills things, it’s a very athletic group. I think our question mark is how well we’ll play baseball, how well we’ll execute in situations. How do we handle adversity when it comes? I think we have the potential to be a very good team but we’re going to have to grow up, find some discipline and maturity with some of the new guys filling in roles left by our seniors last year. The quicker we can do that the sooner you’re going to see us be able to play good baseball.”
Joplin will host Carthage and Monett for its jamboree on March 15, and opens the regular season against Hollister on March 19. The Eagles have added Springfield Catholic to their schedule and will play Rolla and Chaminade at the Hollister/Willard Festival at Rogersville in early April.
