By Chris Parker
Plato baseball is chasing a second straight district title with six starters and eight lettermen returning from last season’s nine-win team in head coach Tyler Shalbot’s first season at Plato.
Senior Graham Todd (pitcher/shortstop) along with juniors Ryan Steinbrink (catcher/pitcher/infield), Lane Johnson (pitcher/first base), Hayden Pinkston (pitcher/third base) and Blake Holloway (catcher/infield) will be the team’s leaders according to Shalbot.
Shalbot on Todd: “Graham is a smart athletic hard-working leader who plays the game the right way. He is one of our top pitchers as he had a great fall leading the team in win and ERA. Offensively he is solid and has good gap-to-gap power.
Todd had a .420 on-base percentage with 11 RBI and 18 runs scored last season.
Shalbot on Steinbrink: “Ryan is an all-conference, all-district returner from his sophomore year. He does a great job behind the plate controlling the pitching staff. He is a tough out at the plate and a very good contact hitter. He started pitching this fall on the mound and possesses good command and will be a solid reliever/spot starter on the mound this spring.”
Steinbrink had a .455 on-base percentage with 17 runs scored and 13 RBI.
Shalbot on Johnson: “Lane is an all-conference and all-district performer from last spring. Lane is a country strong kid that will be one of our top pitchers on the mound this Spring. He features a strong bat at the plate and a good glove at first base.”
Johnson hit .232 with 19 RBI in 2022.
Shalbot on Pinkston: “Hayden is one of our top pitchers on the mound as he has great movement and off-speed pitches. He is also a good defender at third base and has a good swing at the plate.”
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Pinkston posted a .371 on-base percentage with 15 runs scored.
Shalbot on Holloway: “Blake is a very athletic leadoff hitter who will be a catcher and infield defender. He will real havoc on the bases with his plus speed and be solid defensively.”
The deep pitching staff will also include Garon Miller (junior), Karson Garrett (junior), Tanner Atterberry (sophomore) and Andrew Woodruff.
Steinbrink and Holloway will split time at catcher.
Johnson, Todd, Garrett, Pinkston, Steinbrink, Holloway and Atterberry will be on the infield with positions determined by who is on the mound.
The outfield will feature Cole Waters, Woodruff, Wyatt Groves, Trenton Perryman and Chris Hildebrand.
“The strength of our team is the way that we play the game. We hustle everywhere we go and do the little things that make teams great. We take the extra base, get hit by pitches, grind out at bats, and try to put pressure on the other team,” Shalbot said. “We need to improve on all aspects of the game. On the mound we have to throw more strikes, defensively we have to make the routine play, and at the dish we have to put the ball in play and put pressure on the defense, on the bags we have to use our team speed to create havoc If we can do all of those things we will be difficult to beat.”
Plato opens the season Mar. 17 in Van Buren against Cooter.
“We really want to be above .500, compete for a conference title, and be playing our best baseball come district time and try to repeat the district title that they won last year,” Shalbot said.
