By Derek Shore (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Aurora baseball looks to improve following a 5-18 campaign a year ago. The Houn Dawgs, who went a combined 145-28 from 2016-2022 while winning two state titles prior to last season, will be young once again with a bevy of juniors and underclassmen.
One upperclassman returns with full-time varsity experience in senior Heath Hoffman (outfielder/pitcher). At the plate, Hoffman batted .394 last season with 26 hits (10 of which for extra bases) to go with 23 RBI. He went 2-5 with a 2.90 ERA on the mound.
“Heath is coming into his fourth year of varsity competition and has improved his performance every year,” Aurora coach James Hoffman said of his son. “Last year he led the team offensively in RBI and on the mound, he led the team in strikeouts with 59 in 35 ⅔ innings. We look for him to continue his development and lead a young team into his final season.”
Aurora returns three juniors in Matthew Cutbirth (catcher/outfielder), Jayden Carpenter (infielder/pitcher) and Brody Seitz (outfielder).
“Matthew’s season was shortened due to injury last year,” Hoffman said. “He is a hard-nosed worker that has good power and surprising speed for his size. He will catch the majority of our innings this year. We look for Matthew to have a breakout season at and behind the plate.
Jayden is capable of being really good on the mound. Once he transitions from basketball and gets into baseball shape, he will really be able to help on the mound. He is capable of playing both first and third base with good range. Offensively, he showed signs of being a run producer in the middle of the lineup.
“Brody made the transition to the outfield last year for us. He has good speed and developed as a baseball player last year. Brody’s biggest asset is a willingness to be coached and to do anything the team needs.”
Sophomores Max Holland (utility player), Carson Gillam (outfielder/pitcher) and Juan Guido (infielder/pitcher) round out the returnees.
“Max broke into the lineup last year as a freshman,” Hoffman said. “He really started to get comfortable at the end of the year offensively, racking up six hits in the last week of the season. Max played primarily outfield last year, but got the start at third base in the district tournament. He is capable of playing multiple positions and contributing on the mound. Carson played as a freshman in half of our games. He improved significantly in the outfield last year. He possesses good speed and will be in the hunt for an outfield position this year. He has worked hard in the offseason to improve offensively.
“Juan was another freshman that was thrown into the mix with no varsity experience last year. He gained valuable experience and has a chance to contribute as a sophomore. His arm has gotten significantly stronger since last year and will also be asked to toe the rubber for us this year. He will more than likely be in the running for time at a middle infield position.”
Top newcomers include freshmen Sean Creasey (infielder/pitcher), Kaden Cole (utility player) and Casen Brown (utility player/pitcher).
“Sean is a well-rounded athlete with a varied skill set,” Hoffman said. “He has really shown great barrel control in our preseason work. Sean will potentially hit in the top-third of the lineup, play an infield position and see some time on the mound. He possesses tools that will lead him to the next level as he continues to develop. Kaden is another extremely athletic freshman that could potentially help us out in numerous ways. He possesses good speed and is an extremely competitive kid. We look for him to cover a lot of ground defensively and on the basepaths.
“Casen adds to the depth of the freshmen class. Just like his older brother Kelton who graduated last year, he can play multiple positions on the field and help out on the mound. He has a competitive demeanor and looks to contribute in any way possible. He will compete for time at multiple positions.”
In addition, Coach Hoffman looks to make 2024 memorable as it marks his final year coaching at Aurora. He will go out coaching his son Heath.
As for the outlook of the season: “Our season will again hang on the development and experience that our underclassmen gained last year. We look for our run production to increase from the previous year as those young guys that hit in the middle and bottom have gained some experience and our incoming class will push those guys for at-bats and time on the field the entire year.
“We have some guys coming in with good speed and a competitive chip on their shoulder that I believe will create an even better practice environment. My coaching philosophy will continue to center around player development and preparing our guys for as many situations as possible that they may face in game situations. We will be competitive throughout our schedule, and I’m looking forward to seeing how our guys respond to the competition.”
Aurora opens the season in the Roy B. Shaver Classic in Neosho on March 21-23.
