Eagles Baseball Team Looks To Continue Strong Tradition Under New Coach
2024-25 Eagles Baseball Team… The Holden baseball team opens the season at home on Saturday, Mar. 22, when the Eagles host Aurora. This year’s Holden baseball team is pictured, front row, left to right, Skyler Willis, Sawyer Brewington, Tristan Martin, Izaak Williams, Jordan Andes, Brody Graves, Blaine Maguffee, Mason Doll, Nathan Odle, and Vince Vance; middle row, Nick Moore, Blake Naumann, Eli Burnham, Von Wehmeyer, Kale Tryon, Tylar Minor, Trent Eissler, Clayton Sullivan, Chasen Hall, Vance Davis, Wes Brown, Drake Gard, Garrett Stoyko, Ryan Hough, and Lars Gisler; back row, Destry Powell, Hunter Carpenter, Collin Cooper, Brasch Williams, Lane Spoor-Wright, Cohen Drake, Dylan Cornwell, Carson Kephart, Justin Brown, Jacob Roberts, Jackson Wheeler, Cole Thomas, Tucker Kauffman, Trace Angell, and Tyler Barker; not pictured, Gavin Kitscher, Brody Churchill, Kayden Newton, and Owen Doogs. Photo by Steve Edwards
The Holden high school baseball team opens regular season play this week when the Eagles host Aurora for a varsity game starting at noon this Saturday, Mar. 22.
The Eagles enter the season under first-year head coach Jeff Smith who previously served as an assistant on the coaching staff under departed head coach Charlie Castle. Coach Castle led the Eagles for the last three seasons after serving in an assistant role under long-time Holden baseball head coach David Riley.
Though this year’s baseball team is under new management, the goal of coach Smith, a Holden R-3 graduate and former Eagles baseball player himself, and of the program is to carry the successes and the tradition forged under coach Castle and coach Riley into the upcoming season.
“My goal is to continue a tradition of quality baseball teams that has existed for many years here,” says coach Smith. “I would like to continue to develop players throughout their four years and to get the younger generation of future Holden baseball players excited about the sport and playing quality baseball leading up to high school.”
Last season, the Holden baseball team posted an overall record of 14-12, and over the past three seasons, the team has a combined record of 48-27 under the first-three years of the tenure of the four-year senior team members on this year’s roster.
“Highlights from last season were winning our Holden Classic and getting revenge on Barstow in the district semis after losing to them in the district championship the year before,” says coach Smith. “We lost a few key guys from last season, but we still have the bulk of our pitching staff and most of our key defensive players. We have an experienced core to build off of for this season and only a few missing pieces to fill.”
Holes left to fill on the field this year are left by graduated players Lane Siemer, Aiden Morarity, and Lane Inglis who were four-year team members and contributors throughout their careers.
Coach Smith has penciled in names on a majority of the slots on the lineup card as assistant coaches Trent Pritchard, Aaron Andes, and Nathan Martin have been assessing players in preseason practices, and factoring in past contributions by a large group of returners.
Seniors at the top of the depth chart for starting positions include centerfielder Kale Tryon, first baseman Trace Angell, second baseman Tyler Barker, and third baseman Vance Davis. Tryon shored up the starting role in center last season and started at first base on a regular basis early in his career as Angell returns to first base this season after controlling that corner of the infield last season. Barker looks to play second base this season after serving as a middle infielder and an outfielder through his first three seasons. Davis returns to the third base role he held last season.
“Kale Tryon is a vocal leader and leadoff hitter,” says coach Smith. “Tyler Barker and Trace Angell are a leaders by example.”
Junior class players looking to enter the season with positions locked down include shortstop Cohen Drake, left fielder/pitcher Wes Brown, right fielder Justin Brown, catcher Drake Gard, and designated hitter Tucker Kauffman.
“Wes Brown is a leader on the mound and at the plate,” says coach Smith. “Drake Gard is a natural leader in the catcher position.”
Sophomore Von Wehmeyer also looks to make plate appearances as a designated hitter.
“Skyler Willis has also shown that he can make a contribution in the middle infield,” says coach Smith. “Ryan Hough, Chasen Hall, and Brody Graves will be pinch runners and extra outfielders.”
Coach Smith identifies a lengthy list of pitching prospects that includes, Wes Brown, Cohen Drake, Tucker Kauffman, Kale Tryon, Trace Angell, Tyler Barker, Vance Davis, and Von Wehmeyer as the head coach points to the mound as one of the team’s several strengths entering the season.
Among that list of hurlers, Brown and Drake answered the call to start on the hill in many of the team’s games last season.
“After the first few weeks of practice, our top pitchers look to be our greatest strength,” says coach Smith. “We also have good speed on the base paths and on defense. Our identity this season will be quality pitching. When we see other quality pitching, expect some low scoring, quality baseball games with solid defense.”
With the season approaching, coach Smith and the Eagles baseball team look for the return of an experienced roster to pay dividends.
“I’m excited to see this group of guys who have nearly all been varsity starters for two to three years use their experience to win games,” says coach Smith. “It is rare that a team is made up of this many players that have started since their freshman or sophomore year. When players reach this experience level, everything slows down in close games, and everyone knows how to do their jobs to get the win.”
As noted, the Eagles baseball team begins the season this Saturday, Mar. 22, when Holden hosts Aurora for a varsity-only match-up starting at noon.
Following Saturday’s game, the season continues for the Holden baseball team on Monday, Mar. 24, when the Eagles host Sherwood at 4:30 p.m.
