Indiana products making mark in bigs, minors

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Left-handed pitcher Zack Thompson, who was a star at Wapahani High School in Selma, Ind., and the University of Kentucky, made his Major League Baseball debut when he earned a four-inning save for the St. Louis Cardinals June 3 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Thompson, 24, has made 10 starts for the Triple-A Memphis (Tenn.) Redbirds in 2022 and is 2-2 with a 4.67 earned run average.
Zach McKinstry (Fort Wayne North Side/Central Michigan) has split his time between the minors and the big-league Los Angeles Dodgers and the lefty-swinging infielder is currently on the active roster with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. He made his big league debut in 2020.
McKinstry, 27, is hitting .335 with three home runs and 20 runs batted in over 164 MiLB at-bats and is 1-for-5 with LA — the hit being a June 3 two-run home run off New York Mets right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Right-hander Ryan Pepiot (Westfield/Butler) had made his MLB debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 11. He is back with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Pepiot, 24, is 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA in nine appearances for OKC and 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three games (11 1/3 innings) in the big leagues.
Many other players are also on active rosters in the minors.
Right-hander Luke Albright (Fishers/Kent State) is with the High-A Hillsboro (Ore.) Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks).
Albright, 22, is 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA in 10 starts.
Third baseman Cole Barr (Yorktown/Indiana University) plays for the High-A Everett (Wash.) AquaSox (Seattle Mariners).
Barr, 24, is hitting .172 with three homers and 17 RBIs.
Right-hander Gabe Bierman (Jeffersonville/Indiana) toes the rubber for the Low-A Jupiter (Fla.) Hammerheads (Miami Marlins).
Bierman, 22, is 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts).
Right-hander Garrett Burhenn (Lawrence North/Ohio State) takes the bump for the Low-A Lakeland (Fla.) Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers).
Burhenn, 22, is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in nine starts.
Lefty-swinging outfielder Zach Britton (Batesville/Louisville) is with the High-A Vancouver (B.C.) Canadians (Toronto Blue Jays).
Britton, 23, is hitting .206 with four homers and 11 RBIs.
Right-hander Zack Brown (Seymour/Kentucky) is one step from the majors with the Triple-A Nashville (Tenn.) Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers).
Brown, 27, is 1-0 with two saves and a 3.54 ERA in 17 relief appearances.
Outfielder Drew Campbell (Jeffersonville/Louisville) swings from the left side for the High-A Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves).
Campbell, 24, is hitting .266 with one homer and 22 RBIs.
Left-hander Jacob Cantleberry (Center Grove/Missouri/San Jacinto) is with the High-A Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers) in Midland, Mich.
Cantleberry, 24, is 2-1 with one save and a 6.10 ERA in 13 games out of the bullpen.

Right-hander Adysin Coffey (Delta/Wabash Valley) is on the Development List as a reliever with the Kannapolis (N.C.) Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox).

Coffey, 23, is 2-2 with two saves a 7.30 ERA in 13 games.
Lefty-swinging outfielder Craig Dedelow (Munster/Indiana) takes his cuts for the Double-A Birmingham (Ala.) Barons (Chicago White Sox).
Dedelow, 27, is hitting .226 with 13 homers and 35 RBIs.
Lefty-swinging second baseman Clay Dungan (Yorktown/Indiana State) is with Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals).
Dungan, 26, is hitting .204 with three homers and 18 RBIs.
Outfielder Elijah Dunham (Evansville Reitz/Indiana) bats lefty for the Double-A Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees) in Bridgewater, N.J.
Dunham, 24, is hitting .346 with seven homers and 27 RBIs.
Right-hander Parker Dunshee (Zionsville/Wake Forest) is spinning pitches for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics).
Dunshee, 27, is 1-5 with a 7.24 ERA in 12 games (10 starts).

Righty-swinging outfielder Matt Gorski (Hamilton Southeastern/Indiana) is with Double-A Altoona (Pa.) Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates).

Gorski, 24, is hitting .290 with 19 homers and 46 RBIs.
Left-hander Timmy Herrin (Terre Haute South Vigo/Indiana) takes the mound for the Triple-A Columbus (Ohio) Clippers (Cleveland Guardians).
Herrin, 25, is 0-2 with one save and a 4.00 ERA in 17 relief appearances.
Right-hander Bryan Hoeing (Batesville/Louisville) challenges hitters for the Triple-A Jacksonville (Fla.) Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins).
Hoeing, 25, is 7-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 11 starts.
Lefty-swinging outfielder Jacob Hurtubise (Zionsville/Army) is with the Double-A Chattanooga (Tenn.) Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds).
Hurtubise, 24, is hitting .299 with no homers and five RBIs. He has spent some time on the IL.
Right-hander Drey Jameson (Greenfield-Central/Ball State) fires it for the Triple-A Reno (Nev.) Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks).
Jameson, 24, is 3-5 with a 5.80 ERA in 12 games (11 starts).
Catcher Hayden Jones (Carroll/Mississippi State/Illinois State) is also a lefty swinger and plays for the Low-A Daytona (Fla.) Tortugas (Cincinnati Reds).
Jones, 22, is hitting .210 with one homer and eight RBIs.
Righty-swinging catcher Scott Kapers (Mount Carmel, Ill./Valparaiso) is with the High-A Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads (Texas Rangers).
Kapers, 25, is hitting .257 with five homers and 16 RBIs.
Lefty-swinging first baseman Niko Kavadas (Penn/Notre Dame) competes for the Low-A Salem (Va.) Red Sox (Boston Red Sox).
Kavadas, 23, is hitting .253 with seven homers and 31 RBIs.
Right-hander Chayce McDermott (Pendleton Heights/Ball State) journeys around the circuit with the High-A Asheville (N.C.) Tourists (Houston Astros).
McDermott, 23, is 5-1 with a 4.35 ERA in 12 games (six starts).
First baseman Jacson McGowan (Brownsburg/Purdue) plies his trade with the Double-A Montgomery (Ala.) Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays).
McGowan, 24, is hitting .276 with one homer and two RBIs. He has been on the IL in 2022.
Right-hander Zach Messinger (Castle/Virginia) hurls for the Low-A Tampa (Fla.) Tarpons (New York Yankees).
Messinger, 22, is 0-4 with two saves and a 4.85 ERA in 18 games (15 in relief).
Right-hander Evan Miller (LaPorte/Purdue Fort Wayne) works mostly out of the bullpen for the Triple-A El Paso (Texas) Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres).
Miller, 27, is 1-2 with two saves and a 6.59 ERA in 21 games (19 in relief).
Lefty-swinging shortstop Colson Montgomery (Southridge) is with the Low-A Kannapolis (N.C.) Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox).
Montgomery, 20, is hitting .295 with four homers and 23 RBIs.
Righty-swinging infielder Nick Podkul (Andrean/Notre Dame) was with the Buffalo (N.Y.) Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays).
Podkul, 25, is hitting .178 with two homers and nine RBIs.
Left-hander Triston Polley (Brownsburg/Indiana State) has been a reliever for the High-A Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads (Texas Rangers).
Polley, 25, is 6-2 with one save and a 5.67 ERA in 16 games (all out of the bullpen).
Outfielder Grant Richardson (Fishers/Indiana) bats lefty for the Low-A Tampa (Fla.) Tarpons (New York Yankees).
Richardson, 22, is hitting .207 with two homers and 16 RBIs.
Left-hander Andrew Saalfrank (Heritage/Indiana) is a reliever for the High-A Hillsboro (Ore.) Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks).
Saalfrank, 24, is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in 17 bullpen games.
Andy Samuelson (LaPorte/Wabash Valley) pitched for the Rookie-level Braves (Atlanta Braves) until retiring June 11.
Samuelson, 23, pitched 1/3 of an inning in 2022.
Right-hander Caleb Sampen (Brownsburg/Wright State) pours it in for the Double-A Montgomery (Ala.) Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays).
Sampen, 25, is 1-12 with a 5.02 ERA in nine appearances (five starts). He has been on the IL in 2022.
Right-hander Reid Schaller (Lebanon/Vanderbilt) is part of the bullpen for the Double-A Harrisburg (Pa.) Senators (Washington Nationals).
Schaller, 25, is 2-0 with one save and a 2.89 ERA in 14 bullpen contests.
Lefty-swinging outfielder Nick Schnell (Roncalli) is back on the field after a long injury-list stint. He plays for the Low-A Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays).
Schnell, 22, was activated May 31 and is hitting .333 with no homers and six RBIs. The “Diamonds in the Rough” podcast features Schnell and Cole Wilcox.
Left-hander Garrett Schoenle (Fort Wayne Northrop/Cincinnati) mostly comes out of the bullpen for the High-A Winston-Salem (N.C.) Dash (Chicago White Sox).
Schoenle, 23, is 3-1 with one save and a 1.39 ERA in 14 games (13 in relief).
Left-hander Avery Short (Southport) has been starting for the High-A Hillsboro (Ore.) Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks).
Short, 21, is 0-4 with a 4.58 ERA in nine starts.
Left-hander Tommy Sommer (Carmel/Indiana) is a starter for the Low-A Kannapolis (N.C.) Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox).
Sommer, 23, is 2-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 11 starts.
Right-hander Skylar Szynski (Penn) was drafted in 2016 and has missed much time because of injury. He is Low-A Stockton (Calif.) Ports (Oakland Athletics).
Szynski, 24, is 1-1 with a 12.66 ERA in 15 bullpen games.
Right-hander Nolan Watson (Lawrence North) is mostly a reliever for the Double-A San Antonio Missions (San Diego Padres).
Watson, 25, is 1-2 with a 7.76 ERA in 14 appearances (12 in relief).
Among those on the 7-day injury list are right-hander Sam Bachman (Hamilton Southeastern/Miami of Ohio) with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels) in Madison, Ala., righty-swinging third baseman Kody Hoese (Griffith/Tulane) with the Tulsa (Okla.) Drillers (Los Angeles Dodgers), right-hander Michael McAvene (Roncalli/Louisville) with the High-A South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs) and righty-swinging third baseman Riley Tirotta (Mishawaka Marian/Dayton) with the High-A Vancouver (B.C.) Canadians (Toronto Blue Jays).
Bachman, 22, is 0-0 with a 1.98 ERA in four starts.
Hoese, 24, is hitting .284 with three homers and 21 RBIs.
McAvene, 24, is 0-0 with a 40.50 ERA in one relief appearance.
Tirotta, 23, is hitting .209 with three homers and 20 RBIs.
Right-hander Tanner Andrews (Tippecanoe Valley/Purdue) with the Triple-A Sacramento (Calif.) River Cats (San Francisco Giants), right-hander Pauly Milto (Roncalli/Indiana) with the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Dash (Chicago White Sox) and righty-swinging third baseman Hunter Owen (Evansville Mater Dei/Indiana State) with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates) are on the 60-day IL.
Andrews, 26, is 0-0 with an 11.12 ERA in four relief games.
Milto, 25, is 0-0 with a 3.07 ERA in nine games (eight in relief).
Owen, 28, is hitting .256 with no homers and five RBIs. He made his MLB debut in 2021.

Zack Thompson (MLB Photo)

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Perry Meridian grad Dudas finds home at Southport

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Brendan Dudas determined that he needed on a career change and left the business world that he entered after college for education. He became a teacher in 2020-21.
“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made and it’s so fulfilling,” says Dudas, who is teaching fourth graders at Mary Bryan Elementary in the Southport section of Indianapolis, in the first part of 2021-22. “I can be a male role model for some of the boys in the school. They might say, ‘I can be a teacher just like Mr. Dudas someday.’”
The Mary Bryan campus is the site of Holder Field – home of Southport High School baseball.
Dudas was hired as the Cardinals head baseball coach in July and plans call for him to begin teaching college and career prep to SHS freshmen after winter break. The high school dismisses at 2 p.m. and the elementary at 4.
Just like he does with The Dirtyard as founder of Circle City Wiffle®, Dudas did some sprucing at Holder Field.
“I’ve edged it,” says Dudas. “I want to give the kids something to be proud of.”
A 2013 graduate of Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis (PM and Southport are both part of Perry Township Schools), Dudas went to the University of Indianapolis to study and play baseball. He redshirted as a freshman and then competed for the Gary Vaught-coached Greyhounds for four seasons (2015-18) while earning a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management and a Master’s in Business Administration.
Dudas describes the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period with Southport players.
“I got right to work,” says Dudas. “I was excited to get out there and see what I had.
“We did a lot of skill work and broke things down to the basics.
By the end of the fall, the Cardinals were participating in modified scrimmages.
Right now, players are working on conditioning and team bonding.
“Last night they ran in the snow,” says Dudas, who is eager for the next Limited Contact window to open on Dec. 6. “On 12-6 we’re going to get reps after reps in the (batting) cage – whatever we have to do to simulate being on the field.”
Southport has an indoor facility with cages and a turf floor. If it gets too cold in there, practice can be shifted to an auxiliary gym.
Dudes’ 2022 assistants are Jordan Tackett (pitching coach), Thomas Hopkins, Keegan Caughey, Chris Cox and Mike Gaylor.
Tackett (Perry Meridian Class of 2013) and Dudas played together at age 10 with the Edgewood Bulldogs (later known as the Indy Irish) and at Perry Meridian and UIndy. Dudas met Hopkins, who played at Hanover College, through Wiffle®Ball. Caughey is Dudas’ best friend and was also in the Perry Meridian Class of ’13. Cox is a holdover from 2021 and will be the junior varsity head coach.
Southport (enrollment around 2,250) is a member of Conference Indiana (with Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Columbus North, Terre Haute North Vigo and Terre Haute South Vigo).
In 2021, the Cardinals were part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping with Franklin Central, Perry Meridian, Roncalli and Warren Central. Southport has won 13 sectional crowns — the last in 2008.
Senior Zachary Shepherd recently signed to play of Southport graduate Tony Vittorio at Wilmington (Ohio) College.
Dudas says he may have a few more college commits in his senior class and sees plenty of potentials in his “young guns.”
Left-handed pitcher Avery Short was selected in 12th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks straight out of Southport. He competed at Low-Class A Visalia in 2021.
The high school program is fed in part by Southport Little League.
“(Administrators) want us to visit there and get it thriving again,” says Dudas.
Southport Middle School plays condensed baseball schedule in the spring.
Brendan and Madison Dudas have been married for two years. They’ve been best friends since they were in sixth grade. Madison Dudas is in the Indiana University School of Medicine-Indianapolis campus.
The couple lives in Perry Township and are raising Brendan’s nephews – Kevin and Tristan. He was a true sophomore at UIndy when he took the boys in following the death of his sister to a heroin overdose.
“We have a support system here,” says Brendan. “That’s why (coming to Southport) here is so appealing.”

Brendan Dudas (Perry Township Schools Photo)

Pro X allows players to develop at Grand Park

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Bringing instructors, athletic trainers and strength and conditioning experts under one roof, Pro X Athlete Development serves clients in Westfield, Ind.

Pro X (short for “Professional Experience”) celebrated its grand opening at it Grand Park facility in April 2019 after getting started in a temporary downtown location in 2017.

“We want to provide an all-inclusive training experience for our athletes,” says Joe Thatcher, former major league pitcher, co-founder and president at Pro X. “We provide sports performance so athletes can get bigger, stronger and faster. We have rehabilitation with Dr. Jamey Gordon. We have sports-specific instruction (for baseball, softball, golf and football).”

Thatcher, a Kokomo, Ind., native who worked with Gordon (who is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Specialist as well as partner and Director of Athletic Development at Pro X) during his baseball playing career, wanted to replicate what he experienced in the majors.

“Everyday I walked into the clubhouse the coaching staff, training staff and strength staff knew what I was doing,” says Thatcher, who last pitched for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in 2016.

Pro X staffers, which include instructors Jay Lehr, Bryan Chestnut, Jaylen Quarles, Alex Graman, Jordan Estes and Zeth Tanner, share notes on athletes. One might have a hip mobility that does not allow a player to do what an instructor is asking of them.

“We take any physical limitations barrier and it leads to better success in baseball training,” says Thatcher. “One of the stigmas is that we’re an indoor baseball facility. We are about true athlete development.”

Using the latest innovations in the field, Pro X develops a plan for each athlete while working to keep them healthy.

“We make sure you’re moving the way you’re supposed to while getting bigger, faster and stronger so your body can handle more force,” says Thatcher. “You have to decelerate or you’re going to get hurt.

“That only happens if you’re training the right set of muscles to do that.”

During the winter, Pro X has 10 to 15 professional players working out at the elite facility which features 60,000 square feet in total with over 35,000 square feet of open turf space, 22 batting cages (11 full), 3,000 square-foot weight room, golf simulators and much more.

“The sports rehabilitation/training area is the heart and soul of who and what we are,” says Thatcher of the place where athlete assessments and private-pay rehab sessions are performed. There’s a full strength staff.

Catcher Tucker Barnhart and right-hander pitcher Drew Storen, who both went to Brownsburg (Ind.) High School, have trained at Pro X as has Chicago White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon and Kansas City Royals right-hander Jesse Hahn. 

Rodon, who resides in Veedersburg, Ind., did his Tommy John surgery recovery at Pro X.

This past week, former Southport High School and current Arizona Diamondbacks minor league left-hander Avery Short was pitching live to hitters on the Pro X turf.

“It’s fun to work with high-end athletes,” says Thatcher. “But our focus is capturing the young kids and starting them early.

“We want level the playing field for kids in the Midwest who don’t get to play all year-round. We’re exposing them to the training and all the innovations that’s out there.”

With a Diamond Sports Membership at Pro X, clients can have unlimited access to cages and turf. 

A Sports Performance Membership allows holders to attend all classes, including Weight Room 101 Transition. It starts with athletes around 7 and goes all the way up. 

A Diamond Plus Membership combines Diamond Sports and Sports Performance.

Pro X and Bullpen Tournaments partnered to sponsor the 12-team College Summer League at Grand Park in 2020.

“We saw an opportunity,” says Thatcher of a circuit that gave a place for several players displaced by the Coronavirus pandemic shutting down summer leagues. “We threw it together in about a month. It took a lot of work to get it up and running and a lot of flexibility with state regulations and COVID-19.”

About 100 players took advantage of a play-and-train option which allowed them to play in games — usually on Mondays and Tuesdays at Grand Park with occasional games at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis or Kokomo Municipal Stadium on other days — and train at Pro X Wednesday through Friday.

“(The CSL) is centrally-located which can be an advantage for us,” says Thatcher. “We’ve had a lot of really good feedback from college coaches who had kids in our league.

“We’re already starting to work on next year.”

The league has also featured players who graduated from high school in 2020.

“They’ve got to see what (college baseball is) going to be like,” says Thatcher. “They get on the field with the same field of guys you’re going to be competing against.”

The No. 5-seeded Turf Monsters bested the No. 2 Snapping Turtles 5-4 in the inaugural CSL championship game contested Friday, July 31 at Victory Field.

Julian Greenwell (two), Ethan Vecrumba, Jake Plastiak and Kollyn All drove in runs for the Turf Monsters (10-7-5).

Tyeler Hawkins scored a run on a wild pitch. Sam Crail, Brodey Heaton and Brendan Hord plated a run apiece for the Snapping Turtles (11-7-4).

Reese Sharp, who did not give up a hit until the sixth inning, was the winning pitcher. Cameron Pferrer earned a two-out save. Arian Coffey absorbed the loss.

Joe Thatcher is the co-founder and president of Pro X Athlete Development in Westfield, Ind. The Kokomo, Ind., native pitched in the majors. His last pro team was the 2016 Iowa Cubs. (Chicago Cubs Photo)

The 2020 College Summer League at Grand Park was won by the Turf Monsters with a 5-4 win Friday, July against the Snapping Turtles at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis. (College Summer League at Grand Park Image)

Pro X Athlete Development in Westfield, Ind., offers a “Professional Experience” for all members, including Diamond Sports (baseball and softball). The facility is located at Grand Park. (Pro X Athlete Development Image)

Indiana Twins instructor Haase keeps growing pitching know-how

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Scott Haase is a collector of baseball knowledge — especially about pitching.

Haase (rhymes with classy) was in Nashville, Tenn., at the 2020 American Baseball Coaches Association convention, talking face-to-face with folks he has connected with online or by phone.

“I learned pretty quickly what I was going to get most out of (the ABCA convention) was the networking,” says Haase, a board member, pitching coordinator and social media manager for the Indiana Twins travel organization. “It’s good to put a name to a face, chat in-person and strength that relationship.”

Among those he has connected with is Steve Merriman, a pitching coordinator in the Colorado Rockies system who also happens to share a hometown with Haase — Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

Haase, who turned 33 in December, has many certifications, including from OnBase U (functional movement) and Driveline Baseball as well as group exercise and personal training for his full-time job as health coach and wellness coordinator for Community Health Network. He was at Pitch-A-Palooza in Franklin, Tenn., Dec. 13-15, 2019.

For six years, he was pitching coach at Franklin (Ind.) Community High School — first for head coach Paul Strack and then Ryan Feyerabend. During that time, Twins president and founder and lead hitting instructor Jason Clymore reached out and Haase came to a clinic with Ron Wolforth of the Texas Baseball Ranch hosted by the Twins.

Haase came on board as an instructor and 17U pitching coach for Twins while also coaching at Franklin Community and conducting private lessons.

“It was six days a week of baseball for the first year of marriage,” says Haase, noting that his wife (Lora) was also busy at that time with coaching volleyball. “It was fun.”

After that first summer as a Twins coach, Haase decided to focus on being an instructor. He now coordinates pitching, teaches other instructors and coaches and runs the off-season training program with the organization as well as help Clymore with operations.

The Indiana Twins were housed in a facility near the University of Indianapolis then moved to spot in Martinsville with two buildings and three diamonds. There’s about 180 players in the program from 8U through 17U.

Haase notes that 8U gives family an introduction.

“Travel baseball is not right for everybody,” says Haase.

While high schoolers typically play up to eight tournaments each summer in June and July, younger players take part in up to 10 from April to July.

Beginning with 9U, teams have an off-season training program included in fees that lasts up to 20 weeks. Besides training in pitching, hitting, fielding and catching, there is Baseball I.Q.

Coaches were complaining because they were losing games because players who might look good during workouts don’t know how to back up first base or execute bunt coverage.

“Things that a travel ball coach doesn’t have as much practice time to cover,” says Haase.

A game created by Clymore involves a wipe board with a baseball field.

Players pull a card that gives them a situation. It might be “runner of first base and two outs.”

Another card is pulled.

It may say, “you’re the batter and you hit a ball past the defender in left-center field, what are you doing?”

That gives an opportunity to go around the room and see how many scenarios players identify.

As the game progresses, the card may have them as the right fielder and they are asked what they do when the ball goes into left-center field.

“It’s been pretty cool,” says Haase. “It gets them to think through it.”

Clymore is a proponent of mental skills and each team must spend part of their practices, which begin in January, doing some kind of mental work.

“It can be simple or elaborate,” says Haase. “They may watch a 10-minute video and have discussion and work sheet.”

It might be a TED talk or a motivational clip from a movie. Players and coaches will talk about how the subject elations to life, relationships, baseball or whatever.

“The mental component is such a big part of the game,” says Haase. “If you aren’t mentally strong, well-rounded an educated, in sports and in life you are not going to be able to succeed very much.

“If you don’t believe you’re going to have success — regardless of the reason — it’s going to be hard to have success.”

College players come back to train at the Twins facility during breaks. Among the recent alums is UIndy senior right-handed pitcher Reid Werner and Purdue Fort Wayne third baseman/pitcher Luke Miles.

Earlier in their development, the Schnell brothers (Nick and Aaron) and Avery Short played for the Indiana Twins. Outfielder Nick Schnell is now in the Tampa Bay Rays organization while left-hander Short is with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

A former left-handed pitcher/outfielder and team captain at Sacred Heart Academy in Mt. Pleasant (where he helped earn two district and regional titles and was the football team’s starting quarterback as a junior and senior), and pitcher at NCAA Division II Saginaw Valley State University in University Center, Mich., Haase video-taped himself and friends and studied footage of Tim Lincecum while trying to add velocity to his pitches.

Haase’s first coaching position was at a Little League in Saginaw.

He wound up in Indianapolis after long-distance dating his future wife. Scott and Lora Haase have an 8-month old (Max). Lora, who was an all-state volleyball player at Perry Meridian High School, coached Team Indiana in that sport for three years.

Scott Haase is a board member, pitching coordinator and social media manager for the Indiana Twins travel organization. The group has a training facility in Martinsville.

 

Lefty Short goes from Southport prep to D-backs pro in 2019

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Avery Short had committed to play baseball at the University of Louisville.

But Short graduated from Southport (Ind.) High School and the left-handed pitcher was selected in the 12th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Indianapolis native signed his first professional contract for a reported $922,500 and went to the minors, learned a new pitch and was part of a championship team.

“Everything lined up perfectly,” says Short of his decision to turn professional. “It was hard opportunity to pass up.”

Short, who participated in the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field in July 2018 and competed for Team USA in the U18 Pan-American Championships in Panama in the fall of that year, was not dominant on the mound in his senior season with the Southport Cardinals. But he counts it as a valuable learning experience.

“I didn’t have the best year, but I learned how to deal with adversity,” says Short, 18 (he turns 19 on March 14, 2020). “That will help me in pro ball a lot. Nobody’s going to throw their best in every outing.”

While Short would work on all parts of his game after each mound appearance, he would focus on the areas that were not working for him.

With teammates looking up to him, he got a chance to be a leader. With an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer — Phil Webster — as his head coach, he developed a mindset of being tough and not giving up.

Short says being away from home for three weeks with Team USA taught him to be a little more independent and responsible.

“High school taught me to be a leader and hold myself accountable,” says Short. “Everybody was watching.”

Drawing on his experiences from high school, Team USA and travel ball (including with the Sean Laird-coached 17U Indiana Bulls and Team Indiana), Short made his pro debut July 26.

The lefty made six mound appearances with the Diamondbacks’ rookie-level Arizona League team where he went 0-0 with a 2.57 earn run average, seven strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.

“It was a pretty good short season,” says Short. “I was a little tired during the end (from pitching in the Arizona heat).

“It was awesome to get moved up during my first season.”

Short learned new four-seam change-up grip from AZL D-backs pitching coach and former big leaguer Rich Sauveur.

“I have a really good feel for it,” says short of a pitch that has more downward break as opposed to arm-side run.

From his three-quarter overhand arm slot, Short continued to mix the change-up in with four-seam and two-seam fastballs, a curveball and a slider while with the Hillsboro (Ore.) Hops of the short-season Northwest League.

Short got into just one game and threw 17 pitches with two strikeouts and no hits or runs allowed, but soaked up knowledge from pitching coach Barry Enright (also a former major pitcher) and thoroughly enjoyed his time with a team that won the NWL championship.

“It was awesome,” says Short of Hillsboro, part of the Portland metropolitan area. “The fanbase was incredible. There were at least 3,000 to 5,000 fans at every game and they were super-engaged.

“It’s a super nice area to live in.”

Short notes that there was an adjustment going from the higher seems of a high school baseball to the lower seams of the minor league ball and that impacted his breaking pitches. He plans to work a lot on the curve and slider in the off-season.

The past three weeks, Short has been in Arizona for a strength camp. Players lift weight four days a week, plus do yoga and get speed training from some of the world-class track coaches who live in the Valley of the Sun.

Wednesdays are off days. Short and his team do team-building activities like paintball, bowling or a World Series watch party.

In January, he returns to Arizona for instructional league.

Back in central Indiana, Short will train at Indianapolis Fitness And Sports Training (IFAST) in Fishers. Eventually, he will begin throwing again to get ready for instructional league.

Avery is the son of Tom (Cathy) Short and Amanda (Scott) Bryan. His siblings are Amber, Abbey, Alec, Payton, Caroline and Lexi.

“I’m the second youngest,” says Avery. “I was able to watch them grow up. I learn from their mistakes and from the good things.”

What about college?

While he’s not sure what area he would study, Short says he would like to pursue higher education in the future.

Right now, he is seeing where baseball will take him.

Avery Short of Indianapolis played for the USA Baseball National team. (USA Baseball Image)

Avery Short, a 2019 Southport (Ind.) High School graduate, pitches for the Hillsboro (Ore.) Hops in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. (Michael Jacobs All-Star Photos)

Avery Short, a 2019 Southport (Ind.) High School graduate and USA Baseball alum, was selected in the 12th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks and finished the season with the Hillsboro (Ore.) Hops. (Michael Jacobs All-Star Photos)

 

Plainfield, Southern Indiana grad Kehrt scouting for Diamondbacks

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Jeremy Kehrt is taking the lessons he learned as a player and using them to evaluate baseball talent as an area scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kehrt, an Avon, Ind., resident, is heading into his third year with the D-backs after concluding his own professional career. As a right-handed pitcher, he competed for 10 seasons in the minors with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations.

Selected in the 47th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by Boston out of the University of Southern Indiana, Kehrt pitched in the Red Sox system into 2014 and in the Dodgers chain 2014-16, going 45-57 with a 4.55 earned run average over 222 games (128 as a starter). He hurled at the Triple-A level in 2011-14 and 2016.

He was the Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs Citizen of the Year in 2011. That same year he was 2-1 in 10 games with Scottsdale of the Arizona Fall League.

He pitched in the Double-A Texas League All-Star Game in 2015. He was with Laguna of the Triple-A Mexican League and Trois-Rivieres of the independent Can-Am League in 2017.

Kehrt also played winter ball in Puerto Rico with Mayaguez in 2012-13 and 2013-14 and Caguas in 2015-16, Venezuela with Zulia in 2014-15 and Magallanes in 2016-17 and Mexico in 2016-1 with Mazatlan.

In his role as scout, he estimates that he drives 50,000 miles a year while checking on high school and college players in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.

“I commute as much as possible,” says Kehrt, who tries to make it back to wife Meagen, 4-year-old son Maddux and 2-year-old daughter Belamy immediately after most scouting trips. “Fall is more organized with scrimmages and scout days and these new exhibition games. Summers and falls have more showcase environments. Spring can be crazy and you can go from Michigan to Kentucky in one day to see players.”

Kehrt traveled to the University of Louisville Wednesday, Oct. 16 to see action in the annual Pizza Bowl fall intrasquad series.

Whenever the weather, schedule changes and traffic allows, Kehrt tries to arrive at the field as early as possible to observe players during warm-ups. He sees how they interact with teammates and coaches.

“I want to get the whole picture of what the player is,” says Kehrt, 32. “I talk to the people in their life. I try to get multiple looks.”

Drey Jameson, a hard-throwing right-hander who signed with the Diamondbacks in the first round out of Ball State University, was tracked by Kehrt.

Kehrt, 33, saw 2019 Southport (Ind.) High School graduate Avery Short several times before Arizona selected the left-handed pitcher in the 12th round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

“For a high school kid, he was able to throw an insane amount of strikes,” says Kehrt of Short. “He had an advanced (baseball) IQ for a 17- or 18-year-old kid.”

Short pitched for Team USA in the U18 Pan-American Championships in Panama in the fall of 2018. The southpaw was reportedly inked by the D-backs for a $922,500 signing bonus.

“They get experience and get used to grinding during the summers (in travel ball),” says Kehrt. “They have fun during their senior years. It’s one last hurrah and they can showcase their stuff.”

Andrew Saalfrank was chosen by the Diamondbacks in the sixth round of the 2019 draft out of Indiana University. Purdue University catcher Nick Dalesandro (10th round) and Indiana State University right-hander Ethan Larrison (16th round) were taken in 2018.

A 2004 graduate of Plainfield (Ind.) High School, Kehrt played two seasons for Brian Planker and one for Michael Thompson. After playing in the Plainfield Little League and Plainfield Teenage Babe Ruth Baseball League in his younger years, he pitched in a few tournaments with the Indianapolis Bulldogs his 16U summer then spent full summer seasons with the James Hurst-coached travel team as 17U and 18U player.

“(Hurst) gave me the best advice I ever got,” says Kehrt. “He told me to go to college. That’s what he did (left-hander Hurst pitched at Florida Southern College and got into eight games with the 1994 Texas Rangers and hurled in three with the 1995 Indianapolis Indians). “That was a pivotal point in my high school career.”

Off to college to study marketing (he finished his degree in December 2008), Kehrt played at USI for four seasons (2005-08) — the last two with Tracy Archuleta as head coach and Joel Weaver as pitching coach.

“They changed the culture of the team,” says Kehrt of Archuleta and Weaver. “Coach Weaver connected with me on mechanics. He broke it down, made it easy to understand and click in the game.

“I owe a lot to me making a big step to both of those guys.”

Kehrt’s pitching coach for six seasons with Red Sox minor league teams was former big league left-hander Bob Kipper, who spent time with the righty reflecting on the positives and negatives of his outing.

Spending time around major league pitchers in spring training was also instructive to Kehrt.

“I’m a big learn-by-example guy,” says Kehrt. “I’d watch John Lackey during his bullpens and see how his mechanics work.”

With the Dodgers, former big league pitcher Matt Herges was his pitching coach at Double-A and Triple A.

“It was eye-opening how much more I could learn at age 29 and 30,” says Kehrt. “He allowed me to play an extra year.”

Kept busy these days with scouting and family, Kehrt has taught lessons in the past at former big league pitcher Bill Sampen’s Samp’s Hack Shack training facilities.

Jeremy Kehrt, a graduate of Plainfield (Ind.) High School and the University of Indiana, works in the bullpen during his minor league baseball career. He is now an area scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jeremy Kehrt pitched in the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers systems during his baseball-playing career.

The Kehrt family (from left): Jeremy, Maddux, Meagen and Bellamy. Jeremy is an area scout with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Kehrts resides in Avon, Ind.

 

IHSBCA North/South All-Stars revealed for 2019

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Madison Consolidated High School and Hanover College will be the site of activities for the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series.

All-stars chosen from around the state will meet have workouts at the high school and a banquet at the college Friday, June 21. The keynote speaker will be Indiana University head baseball coach Jeff Mercer.

Players will be housed at Hanover.

A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday, June 22 with a single game Sunday, June 23 at Madison’s Gary O’Neal Field.

The North coaching staff will be led by New Prairie’s Mark Schellinger with assistance from South Adams’ Brad Buckingham and Alexandria’s Jeff Closser and Jeff Sells. Jac-Cen-Del’s Dave Bradshaw is the South head coach. His assistants are South Dearbon’s Jay Malott and South Vermillion’s Tim Terry and T.J. Terry.

Madison, located in southeast Indiana along the Ohio River, is in the Eastern time zone.

IHSBCA NORTH/SOUTH ALL-STAR SERIES

Friday, June 21

10 a.m. — South All-Star Coaches report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.

• Will go over the rosters, playing rules, practice plans, etc.
• This will be an organization time with coaches and IHSBCA Leadership.
10:30 a.m. — South All-Star Players report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.
• Please report on time.
• All-Star uniforms issued for pictures. Visit Madison Welcome Bags will be issued.
• After the workout, players and coaches will take their vehicles to the High School Parking
Lot for check-in. At this time all players will check their car keys in with the coaching staff and they will be returned Sunday morning at the park. All players will leave from the park after the Sunday game to return home.
11 a.m. — South All-Stars Pictures.
• Wear your All-Star uniform for individual and group pictures.
• Bring your practice clothes and gear with you for the workout to follow.
• Baseball pants, spikes, bat, glove, etc.
11:30 a.m. — South All-Star workout begins.

1:15 p.m. — South workout concludes.

11 a.m. — North All-Star Coaches report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.

• Will go over the rosters, playing rules, practice plans, etc.
• This will be an organization time with coaches and IHSBCA Leadership.
11:30 a.m. — North All-Star Players report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.
• Please report on time.
• All-Star uniforms issued for pictures. Visit Madison Welcome Bags will be issued.
• After the workout, players and coaches will take their vehicles to the High School Parking
Lot for check-in. At this time all players will check their car keys in with the coaching staff and they will be returned Sunday morning at the park. All players will leave from the park after the Sunday game to return home.
Noon — North All-Stars Pictures.
• Wear your All-Star uniform for individual and group pictures.

• Bring your practice clothes and gear with you for the workout to follow.
• Baseball pants, spikes, bat, glove, etc.
1:15 p.m. — North All-Star workout begins.

3 p.m. — North workout concludes.

3:15 p.m. — Home Run Derby.

5:15 p.m. — Leave from HS Parking Lot for Hanover College. Players will leave cars at Madison HS and coaches will collect the keys for return on Sunday. Players will be transported by busses throughout the weekend.

6:30 p.m. — Transition from Dorms to the Hanover College Brown Campus Event Center for the Banquet.

7 p.m. — 2019 North-South All-Star Banquet – Hanover College Brown Campus Event Center

• Player attire is dress shirt and dress pants.
• A tie is NOT required, but also not discouraged.
• All-Stars will be recognized and the Indiana Baseball Player of the Year Award will be
given.
• Coach Jeff Mercer will be the Keynote Speaker.
11 p.m. — All-Stars can spend time with parents after the banquet, but every player needs to return to the Hanover College Dormitory by 11:00 PM for a team meeting. After the meeting, players are required to stay at the Hanover College Dormitory or in their rooms for the evening. Leaving the premises will not be tolerated. Activity Center will be open at Hanover College for all players … MIDNIGHT CURFEW (every player in their own room).

Saturday, June 22

8 a.m. — Breakfast in dining area (Campus Center) at Hanover College.

9 a.m. — South All-Stars depart for batting practice (Players will be transported from Hanover College to the field).

10-10:30 a.m. — South Batting Practice.

10 a.m. — North All-Stars depart for batting practice (Players will be transported from Hanover College to the field).

10:30-11 a.m. — North Batting Practice.

Note: Players should bring a change of clothes. You will not be returning to the dorm following the games. Towels will be provided to shower at Madison HS.

11 a.m. — South Pregame.

11:15 a.m. — North Pregame.

11:30 a.m. — Field Prep.

11:35 a.m. — Mayor of Madison will welcome the fans and players.

11:40 a.m. — Player Introductions.
11:53 a.m. — National Anthem.
11:57 a.m. — Ceremonial First Pitch and Tributes.

Noon — Game 1.

• North will occupy the 3B dugout and be home team for games 1 and 3.
• Food will be provided between games.
• All games are 9 innings.
• Game 2 will begin approximately 45 minutes after the completion of Game 1.
Game 2 (All-Star pants will be collected after Game 2) (Players will keep their jerseys)
6-6:30 p.m. — Players will shower and change in the HS Locker Rooms.
6:30-9:30 p.m. — Roundtrip Transportation will be provided for all players from the HS field to Bicentennial Park Area along the banks of the Ohio River. Visit Madison is providing entertainment and meal at Bicentennial Park area in downtown Madison.

All Star Players will be treated to a boat ride along the Ohio River.

Players and Coaches will be given meal tickets.

There will be three food trucks, lawn games, and music.

General public is invited.

Boys and Girls Club members will be invited and autographs from All-Star Players will be available.

Families are welcome to attend.
11:30 p.m. — Team Meetings for both North and South All-Stars. After the meeting all players will remain at Hanover College Dormitory…. MIDNIGHT CURFEW (every player in their own room).

Sunday, June 23

8:30 a.m. — Breakfast served in dining area at Hanover College.

10 a.m. — South departs for Madison HS —  Wear High School Uniform.

10:30 a.m. — North departs for Madison HS – Wear High School Uniform.

10:30-11 a.m. — South Batting Practice (cages) (Car Keys Returned).

11-11:30 a.m. — North Batting Practice (cages) (Car Keys Returned).

11:10 a.m. — South Pregame.

11:25 a.m. — North Pregame.

11:40 a.m. — Field Prep.
11:53 a.m. — National Anthem.

11:57 a.m. — Ceremonial First Pitch.

Noon – Wood Bat Game — Wearing High School Uniforms (Players are dismissed immediately following the game).

NORTH ROSTER

Pitchers

Grant Besser (South Adams)

Ryan Fender (Crown Point)

Wyatt Geesaman (Jay County)

Ben Harris (Northwestern)

Kyle Iwinski (Griffith)

Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka)

Hunter Robinson (New Prairie)

Reece Rodabaugh (Lewis Cass)

Gavin White (Western)

Flex

Connor Ayers (McCutcheon)

Catchers

Corbin Beard (Rossville)

Angel DiFederico (New Haven)

Liam Patton (Warsaw)

First Basemen

Matt Dutkowski (NorthWood)

Charlie Howe (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Middle Infielders

Garrison Brege (Norwell)

Josh Dippold (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers)

Chase Franz (Eastside)

Trey Stokes (Alexandria)

Third Basemen

Tucker Platt (Logansport)

Kyle Schmack (South Central-Union Mills)

Outfielders

Brock Boynton (Penn)

Patrick Farrisee (South Bend St. Joseph)

Garrett Manous (Munster)

Kyle Pepiot (Westfield)

Head coach

Mark Schellinger (New Prairie)

Assistants

Brad Buckingham (South Adams)

Jeff Closser (Alexandria)

Jeff Sells (Alexandria)

Manager

Dillion Weldy (NorthWood)

SOUTH ROSTER

Pitchers

Drew Buhr (Austin)

Michael Dillon (Hamilton Southeastern)

Luke Helton (Whiteland)

Parker Maddox (Columbus North)

Lane Oesterling (Batesville)

Cam Saunders (Crawfordsville)

Avery Short (Southport)

Cody Swimm (Hagerstown)

Damien Wallace (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter)

Flex

Cooper Terry (South Vermillion)

Catchers

Kiel Brenczewski (Fishers)

Tyler Kapust (Silver Creek)

Brian Keeney (Roncalli)

First Basemen

Brodey Heaton (Castle)

Jack Walker (New Palestine)

Middle Infielders

Mark Broderick (Danville)

Ethan Getz (South Dearborn)

Blayden McMahel (Jeffersonville)

Chris Wilson (Park Tudor)

Third Basemen

Denton Shepler (Union County)

Austin Weimer (Lawrenceburg)

Outfielders

Julian Greenwell (Columbus East)

Steven Molinet (Tecumseh)

Tucker Schank (Southridge)

Ethan Vecrumba (Edgewood)

Head coach

Dave Bradshaw (Jac-Cen-Del)

Assistants

Jay Malott (South Dearborn)

Tim Terry (South Vermillion)

T.J. Terry (South Vermillion)

All-Marion County baseball team announced for 2019

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County high school baseball coaches have named their all-county team for 2019.

The first team features Perry Meridian senior first baseman Caden Reed (.422 average, 2 home runs, 17 runs batted in, 10 stolen bases), Speedway senior third baseman Ryan Stutler (.400, 0, 12) and junior second baseman Brandon Willoughby (.361, 2, 29, 19 SB), Southport senior pitcher Avery Short (4-3 record, 1.83 earned run average, 71 strikeouts) and junior shortstop Ryan Lezon (.421, 5, 16), Park Tudor senior outfielder Chris Wilson (.437, 1, 23), Brebeuf Jesuit junior outfielder Gabe Wright (.395, 5, 16, 14 SB) and freshman pitcher Andrew Dutkanych (6-2, 1.59, 95 K’s), Lawrence Central junior outfielder Anthony Steinhardt (.389, 1, 10, 10 SB), Roncalli senior catcher Brian Keeney (.500, 1, 17) and Pike senior pitcher Damon Cox (3-2, 2.42, 92 K’s).

Second-teamers are Brebeuf junior first baseman Shane Bauer (.377, 1, 21), North Central senior second baseman Liam Thompson (.269, 1, 10), senior third baseman Adam Schenk (.364, 0, 16), senior outfielder Aaron Betts (.349, 2, 16) and senior catcher Max Kercheval (.408, 0, 24), Beech Grove senior shortstop Nic Ancelet (.432, 1, 7, 16 SB), Perry Meridian senior outfielder Sean Thomas (.329, 1, 19, 15 SB), Speedway senior outfielder Devon Valentine (.406, 1, 14, 11 SB) and senior pitcher Jeffrey Bryant (6-2, 1.16, 82 K’s), Lawrence North junior pitcher Ty Johnson (3-0, 0.88, 60 K’s) and Lutheran senior pitcher Matthew Alter (6-4, 1.89, 103 K’s).

Lawrence North’s Richard Winzenread was named Marion County Coach of the Year.

ALL-MARION COUNTY BASEBALL TEAM

(Class of 2019 Unless Noted)

First Team

1B — Caden Reed (Perry Meridian)

2B — Jr. Brandon Willoughby (Speedway)

SS — Jr. Ryan Lezon (Southport)

3B — Ryan Stutler (Speedway)

OF — Chris Wilson (Park Tudor)

OF — Jr. Gabe Wright (Brebeuf Jesuit)

OF — Jr. Anthony Steinhardt (Lawrence Central)

C — Brian Keeney (Roncalli)

P — Avery Short (Southport)

P — Damon Cox (Pike)

P — Fr. Andrew Dutkanych (Brebeuf Jesuit)

Second Team

1B — Jr. Shane Bauer (Brebeuf Jesuit)

2B — Liam Thompson (North Central)

SS — Nic Ancelet (Beech Grove)

3B — Adam Schenck (North Central)

OF — Aaron Betts (North Central)

OF — Sean Thomas (Perry Meridian)

OF — Devon Valentine (Speedway)

C — Max Kercheval (North Central)

P — Jr. Ty Johnson (Lawrence North)

P — Matthew Alter (Lutheran)

P — Jeffrey Bryant (Speedway)

Coach of the Year: Richard Winzenread (Lawrence North).

Hall of Famer Webster now teaching baseball as Southport Cardinals head coach

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Phil Webster is proud to call himself a professional educator. A former law education teacher at Decatur Central High School on the southwest side of Indianapolis, he left the high school classroom in 2016 after more than five decades.

His baseball coaching career continues.

Following a few seasons as an assistant, he is the man in charge once again.

Webster, who was inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2015, is now head coach at Southport High School.

Last spring, Phil served as an assistant/pitching coach with son Todd Webster at Pike High School on Indy’s northwest side.

Before that, he was an assistant at Perry Meridian High School (which is in the same Marion County township — Perry — as Southport and parochial powerhouse Roncalli) after serving on the staff at Mooresville High School in Morgan County.

Webster was head coach at North Putnam High School in Roachdale in 2013. The 2012 season was spent as pitching coach at Franklin (Ind.) College.

Why take the Southport Cardinals job now?

“I enjoy being a head coach,” says Webster. “It allows me to be able to keep teaching the game. It was great coaching with my son. Todd gave me a great opportunity.

“Now, I get to be the guy in-charge.”

Webster ran the show at Decatur Central for 27 seasons, finishing his run in 2011. His Hawks went 558-254 with seven Marion County, 11 conference, 11 sectional, two regional and one semistate title to go with the 2008 IHSAA Class 4A state championship. Decatur bested Homestead 7-3 in that game.

Two of Webster’s former players — Jeff Scott (Brebeuf Jesuit) and Jason Combs (Decatur Central) — are now high school baseball coaches in Indiana.

Prep coaching stops have also come at Plainfield and North Salem. He’s also helped son Todd coach the Pony Express in travel ball.

Webster, who resides in Decatur Township, has been conducting fall workouts at Southport.

“We out here to get ourselves a little better,” says Webster. “I like this team. They’re learners. It’s fun when you’re a coach and educator when you’ve got players that want to learn.

“I look forward to every practice and workout.”

A new IHSAA rule allows coaches to work with an unlimited number of players for two hours two days a week. The access window will close Oct. 12 and open up again the first week of December.

“I don’t like it,” says Webster of a rule he sees as limiting. “If the coach is willing to take the time and if you want to play the game, you’re restricting their ability to grow.

“We we never tell kids to stop studying chemistry or math. But we tell them to stop studying (or practicing) baseball.

Webster points out that players who have the resources can go to the professional instructor, but are not allowed get free instruction from their high school coach during the blackout period.

“The rule is what it is and I’ll respect it,” says Webster. “But we’re holding them back.

“From Oct. 12 to Dec. 3, you can’t do anything (with players as an Indiana high school coach). Why?. What’s the rationale?. I guess the reason must be we don’t want to burn (players) out. (Rule makers) need to trust us a little more. We’re not out there to hurt kids. We’re out there to make them a little better.”

Southport plays its home games at Holder Field — a facility on the Mary Bryant Elementary campus it shares with Perry Township Schools mate Perry Meridian.

The Cardinals belong to Conference Indiana (along with Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Columbus North, Terre Haute North Vigo and Terre Haute South Vigo).

Each conference team plays each other once to determine a champion.

Like he was at many of his other coaching gigs, Webster will be a part of the Marion County Tournament.

“One-eighth of the teams in the county are coached by a Webster,” says Phil, noting that Todd’s Pike Red Devils are also in the field.

The elder Webster inherits a 10-9 team from Mike Klopfenstein, who is stepping away from coaching for now to be with his wife and 1-year-old twins.

One of the returning Southport players is Avery Short. The left-handed pitcher is the lone Indiana representative on the USA Baseball 18U Trials roster.

The University of Louisville commit earned an invitation to a USA Baseball event this summer in Cary, N.C., and was placed in the Trials roster.

During tryouts in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in mid-November, a roster of 26 will be cut to 20 on Nov. 20 and go through a series of workouts and exhibition games before playing in the COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships Nov. 23-Dec. 2 in Panama City, Panama.

Short, an alumnus of Southport Little League, has been clocked at 92 mph with his four-seam fastball and also possesses a two-seam fastball, curveball, slider and “circle” change-up.

He is excited to have Webster leading the SHS program.

“I’m looking forward to working with him for my pitching ability and learning the game since he’s been around it so long,” says Short.

At 76, Webster has assembled a seasoned coaching staff. Mike Chapman was with him for 20 years and Steve Krizmanich (his statistician) 27 at Decatur Central.

“We’re the grey-haired guys,” says Webster. “We may be the oldest staff in the state.”

Dave Chamberlain rounds out the varsity crew. Ken Slaughter and Wendell Slaughter will run the junior varsity. Freshmen coaches have yet to be hired.

In an effort to bring the Southport baseball community together, Webster will keep communication open with coaches, players and parents at the Southport, Edgewood and Indiana Central youth leagues as well as Southport Middle School.

Knowing how important it is to have parent involvement, he is meeting with those who have players in high school and middle school.

“I’d say 90 to 95 percent of parents are very cooperative,” says Webster. “They’re helpful and supportive. The ones who are hostile are very rare.”

Webster has seen a direct correlation over the years to championship teams that have strong parent groups with happy coaches and players.

Noting that high school baseball is played during the “dog days” at the end of the school year, teams must contend with many obstacles.

“At the beginning of the year, you have no demerits and everyone is fresh. Then here comes baseball and the cold weather. It’s a battle. There’s no question about that.”

That’s why Webster appreciates backing from the administration. At Southport that includes Pete Hubert.

“I’ve never had a more cooperative and supportive athletic director,” says Webster of Hubert.

Born six days before the attack on Pearl Harbor — Dec 1, 1941 — Webster grew up in the in the borough of Forest Hills just outside Pittsburgh, Pa.

To this day, he is a diehard rooter for Steel City teams — the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.

His favorite baseball player is Roberto Clemente. Among his favorite memories are Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in the 1960 World Series and the 1979 “We Are Fam-il-y!” Pirates.

“I bleed black and gold,” says Webster, who stayed with that color scheme when he picked up his masters degree at Purdue University.

Webster graduated from the now-defunct Wilkinsburg High School and pitched at Milligan College in Tennessee. He wound up in Indiana in the mid-1960s and has been here ever since.

Phil Webster, an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer who led Decatur Central to an IHSAA Class 4A state championship in 2008, is now head baseball coach at Southport High School in Indianapolis.

 

Who made IHSBCA All-State for 2018?

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association membership has voted for its 2018 all-state teams.

Players were selected for first team and honorable mention in four classes.

Players selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft — Nick Schnell (Roncalli), Jack Perkins (Kokomo), Bradley Brehmer (Decatur Central), Jared Poland (Indianapolis Cathedral) and Timmy Borden (Providence) — are automatically all-state.

The honorees are listed below:

2018 IHSBCA ALL-STATE

Class 4A

First Team

Pitchers

Garrett Burhenn (Lawrence Central)

Luke Albright (Fishers)

Grant Richardson (Fishers) xxx

Avery Short  (Southport)

Braydon Tucker (Northview)

Catcher

Hayden Jones (Fort Wayne Carroll) x

First Baseman

Ethan English (Jeffersonville)

Second Baseman

Cam Dennie (Plymouth)

Third Baseman

Matt Wolff (Fishers)

Shortstop

Craig Yoho (Fishers)

Outfielders

Ryan Robison (New Albany) xx

Ian McCutcheon (Huntington North)

Damon Lux (Shelbyville)

Honorable Mention

Riley Perlich (Fort Wayne Carroll)

Austin Peterson (Chesterton)

Zach Messinger (Castle)

Derek Haslett (Indianapolis CrCathedral)

Ryan Bolda (Crown Point)

Chandler Banic (LaPorte)

Zyon Avery (Ben Davis)

Alec Brunson (DeKalb)

Kollyn All (McCutcheon)

Kiel Brenczewski (Fishers)

Chase Hug (Pike)

Jacob Daftari (Hamilton Southeastern)

Brock Cooper (Hobart)

Justin Graves (Lake Central)

Jared Miller (Elkhart Central)

Brigham Booe (Northview)

Riley Hershberger (Logansport)

Riley Bertram (Zionsville)

Tucker Platt (Logansport)

Alan Perry (Seymour)

Benji Nixon (Plymouth)

Matthew Meyer (Westfield)

Tyler Finke (Columbus North)

JJ Woolwine (Fishers)

Drew Taylor (Jeffersonville)

Evan Allen (McCutcheon)

Ryan Bolda (Crown Point)

Payton Kerr (Penn)

Tyler Owens (Noblesville)

Drew Hasson (Columbus East)

Class 3A

First Team

Pitchers

Michael Doolin (Andrean)

Ashton Guyer (Western)

Trevor Ankney (Indian Creek)

Catchers

Derek Wagner (Tri-West)

Angel DiFederico (New Haven)

First Baseman

Pat Mills (Western)

Second Baseman

Nolan Isaacs (Lakeland)

Third Baseman

Sam Beier (Wheeler)

Shortstop

Sammy Steimel (Sullivan)

Outfielders

Eli Helton (Lawrenceburg)

Clay Thompson (Andrean)

Caleb Meeks (Evansville Memorial)

Cade McCoin (Mississinewa)

Honorable Mention

Sullivan Swingley (Yorktown)

Tyler Wheeler (Silver Creek)

Ethan Larason (Maconaquah)

Robbie Berger (John Glenn)

Dillon Olejnik (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter)

Brady Gumpf (South Bend St. Joseph)

Sammy Barnett (Silver Creek)

Jake Andriole (Guerin Catholic)

Bryson McNay (Silver Creek)

Dawson Read (Indian Creek)

Max Moser (Jay County)

Cole Stigleman (Jay County)

Michael Machnic (John Glenn)

Eric Doyle (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Dylan Whitt (Silver Creek)

Chase Springmeyer (Greensburg)

Hayden Schott (Culver Military Academies)

Eddie Morris (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Tanner Clark (Columbia City)

Class 2A

First Team

Pitchers

Grant Besser (South Adams)

Ty Bothwell (Boone Grove)

Catcher

Luke Stock (Henryville)

First Baseman

Joe Butz (Heritage Christian)

Second Baseman

Joel Mounts (Heritage Christian)

Third Baseman

Kipp Fougerousse (Linton Stockton)

Shortstops

Drew Buhr (Austin)

Logan Ryan (Hebron)

Outfielders

Zander Kottka (Union County)

Spencer Ballinger (Oak Hill)

Sam Schoonveld (Clinton Prairie)

Honorable Mention

Landon Weins (Frankton)

Jake Marin (Lafayette Central Catholic)

Shane Harris (North Posey)

Joey Weller (Union County)

Cameron Holycross (Lapel)

Matt Panagouleas (South Vermillion)

Logan Seger (Southridge)

Ben Berenda (Lafayette Central Catholic)

Wes Transier (Oak Hill)

KJ Roudebush (Tipton)

Easton Good (Lewis Cass)

Mason Miller (Union County)

Trever Zink (Forest Park)

Tyler Burton (Knightstown)

Tucker Schank (Southridge)

Garett Stanley (Wapahani)

Carson Dolezal (Tipton)

Class 1A

First Team

Pitchers

Lucas McNew (Borden)

Blake Harner (Northfield)

Catcher

Duncan Gerkin (Orleans)

First Baseman

Jay Hammel (South Newton) xx

Second Baseman

Trey Waddups (Pioneer)

Third Baseman

Nate Johnson (Pioneer)

Shortstop

Aaron Beard (Tecumseh)

Outfielders

Ryan Hale (Daleville)

Cory Gutshall (Pioneer)

Carson Husmann (South Central of Union Mills) x

Honorable Mention

Nick Babcock (South Newton)

Evan Etchison (Daleville)

Sam Meek (Hauser)

Garrett Lawson (Riverton Parke)

Shom Berry (North Daviess)

Trey Johnson (Hauser)

Peyton Smith (Daleville)

Parker Eickbush (Hauser)

Case Eisenhut (Northeast Dubois)

Kyle Schmack (South Central of Union Mills)

Josh Price (Daleville)

Brogan Sanders (Riverton Parke)

Gabe Wilson (Edinburgh)

x — Repeat all-state performer.

xx — Repeat all-state performer in same class, but different position.

xxx — Repeat all-state performer in a different class and different position.