By Chris Parker
El Dorado Springs baseball will be looking for new players to step up this year after graduating seven all-conference players from last season’s team that finished 18-7 overall. The 18 wins were the most for the program in more than a decade.
“It will be a developing year early, but we have the players that can push us forward and have us playing really good baseball by the end of April and into May,” El Dorado Springs head coach Nick Engleman said.
Senior infielder/pitcher Payton Green and junior pitcher/infielder Kade Fast will be key for leadership this year.
“Both of these young men are driven competitors that will step into roles well for us,” Engleman said. “Both want to succeed and see others succeed around them. They have the skill sets to step in fill voids left by a large senior class.”
The pitching staff will feature Green, Fast, Kaden Burley (junior), Isaac Shipp (junior) and J.R. Turner (senior).
“Green has a good fastball and is developing good secondary pitches. He attacks hitters and has an aggressive mentality on the hill,” Engleman said. “Fast is a great competitor and fights on the mound. He has decent velocity with good movement and pounds the zone with both his fastball and slider. Kaden Burley will be a newcomer to the varsity game, but has a long frame (6’7) and throws well. Isaac Shipp has funky delivery that creates a lot of movement and he is tough to square up. J.R. Turner is a newcomer as well, but has good velocity and movement that will make him tough to square as well.”
The catcher position will come down to a combination of Kaden Hutsell (senior), Wyatt VanGordon (junior) and Maverick Mitchell (freshman).
The lineup around the infield projects to be Green at first, Juris Leroux (sophomore) at second, Fast at shortstop, Hunter Austin (senior) at third base or shortstop, Daiten Bender (freshman) at third or second base and Shipp at third base.
Burley, Aidan Reeves (junior), Preston Smith (senior) and Aidan Rotert (freshman) are all in the mix for time in the outfield.
“Our competitiveness and drive will be our strengths,” Engleman said. “We will be young or inexperienced for the varsity level, but we have several guys that have played at the varsity level or have competed at a high level growing up. Their drive to compete and get better each day will help us improve throughout the season.”
El Dorado Springs opens the season on Mar. 18 at Dadeville.
“Just playing confidently and getting used to the speed of the varsity game for some (will be key to success),” Engleman said. “Many will be throwing varsity innings for the first time, so just understanding what it takes to get varsity hitters out will be a big part of our needed growth.”
