Brebeuf Jesuit alum Wright transfers gridiron skills to the diamond

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Indianapolis native Gabe Wright has been a college baseball outfielder for three years and he’s planning to go back to NCAA Division I Quinnipiac University in Camden, Ct., for his final season of eligibility in 2024-25 following a second summer stint with the Prospect League‘s Terre Haute (Ind.) Rex.

There was a time when it looked like football would be Wright’s collegiate path.

Father Dwight Wright was a wide receiver at Alabama A&M. Brother  Myles Malone-Wright was a safety on IHSAA state championship teams at Heritage Christian and Bishop Chatard in Indianapolis.

Gabe Wright, whose mother is Edwina Wright, was slot receiver and cornerback at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indy. According to Maxpreps.com, he caught 112 passes for 1,766 yards and 18 touchdowns, ran 56 times for 336 yards and four TD’s and returned kicks and punts on 89 occasions for 1,625 yards from 2017-19.

On the diamond, Wright had his senior season of 2020 at Brebeuf taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a junior in 2019, he hit .342 (27-of-79) with five home runs, 17 runs batted in, 25 runs scored in 29 games and 15 stolen bases for the Jeff Scott-coached Braves.

In middle school, Wright began playing travel baseball. He was with the Indiana Bulls for a couple of seasons. In high school, there was a stint with the Indiana Mustangs then the 15U to 17U Canes Midwest.

“I still talk to those coaches,” says Wright of a group that includes Jay Hundley. “We’re all a close-knit baseball family.”

Wright spent a post-graduate year (2020-21) at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., then played baseball at State College of Florida in Bradenton in 2022 and Indian River Community College in Fort Pierce, Fla., in 2023 before landing at Quinnipiac.

“I love it there,” says Wright, 22. “The city is beautiful. The school is beautiful. I’m getting a great education. There’s a coaching staff that believes in me and the talents that God’s blessed me with. They trust me and see me as a human and not just another number.

“I’m a man of Christ. I give all glory to Him that I’ve been blessed with in life. I wouldn’t be where I am without God. Jesus is coming soon. I hope people will repent of their sins and make Jesus their Lord and Savior.”

In his first season with the Bobcats with John Delaney as head coach and Trey Stover and Rich Cesca as assistants at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference school, Wright started in all eight games he appeared and hit .250 with one homer, one triple, one double, five RBIs and six runs. The majority of the time, he was in center field or right field.

Wright played in 26 games for the 2023 Rex and hit .344 (31-of-90) with four homers, two triples, five doubles, 16 RBI’s, 21 runs and four stolen bases.

Through his first 19 games in 2024, he was hitting .275 (19-of-69) with four homers, no triples, five doubles, 19 RBIs (including seven with two homers in one game on June 22), 16 runs and 15 steals.

The righty swinger and thrower describes his offensive approach and defensive keys.

“When I was younger I just saw ball, hit ball,” says Wright. “Now I go up there and try to hit a ball extremely hard up the middle of field.

“It keeps me aggressive. I’m looking for a pitch middle-in because I feel like I can react to anything there. But if it’s not there, I’m pretty much taking. Once it gets to two strikes, you can’t let anything close go by.”

Wright, who 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, uses his football skills in the outfield.

“When I’m out there it’s like a receiver or safety going to get the ball and it helps me with my routes,” says Wright. “A lot of it is instinctual for me.

“I feel like anything that goes to the green should be caught. I have a very aggressive approach out there. I don’t want anything dropping. I like to take away hits and take away a lot of runs.”

Wright enjoys playing in Terre Haute because it’s close for his family to see home games and some road contests. He’s become tight with Rex owner Bruce Rosselli.

“We’ve formed a great relationship,” says Wright. “He’s opened a lot of doors for me. He stuck his neck out for me and took a big risk by taking me on the team last year. It’s all paid off.”

Wright was in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., with the Park Rangers in 2021 and Snapping Turtles in 2022.

A Sport and Entertainment Management major, Wright wants to take his upbeat and happy personality into sports broadcasting analyst role.

Though he does not have any favorite pro sports teams, he does appreciate a couple of current MLB players in Miami Marlins center fielder/middle infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Washington Nationals middle infielder C.J. Abrams.

“They just play so free and easy,” says Wright. “They have this swagger about them. They’re there to take care of business. They pretty much run the show whenever they’re on the field. Their play backs it up.

“They are also extremely athletic.”

Gabe Wright. (Quinnipiac University Photo)

Gabe Wright. (Quinnipiac University Photo)

Gabe Wright. (Quinnipiac University Photo)

Gabe Wright. (Quinnipiac University Photo)

Gabe Wright. (Terre Haute Rex Photo)

Gabe Wright. (Terre Haute Rex Photo)

Gabe Wright. (Terre Haute Rex Photo)

Providence alum Watson commits to Bellarmine for final college seasons

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Eli Watson is playing baseball far away from home this summer.

Born in Louisville, raised in Jeffersonville, Ind., and a 2021 graduate of Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Ind., played sparingly at Western Kentucky University because of injury and spent the 2024 spring season at Arizona Western College.

The outfielder/first baseman is currently with the summer wood-bat California Collegiate League’s Pasadena-based Arroyo Seco Saints and is bound for Bellarmine University in Louisville in the fall after committing to the Knights last week. He has two years of remaining eligibility and will purse a Business Management degree.

“I decided I would play at home and be close to the family,” says 21-year-old Eli. 

His parents are senior consultant Chuck and physican assistant Denna Watson. His brother is Tre’ Watson (26). He and wife Jacquie have a son named Waylon, which is Eli’s nephew.

The Watson brothers have the distinction of both being part of IHSAA baseball state championship teams for the Providence Pioneers — Tre’ as player in 2016, assistant coach in 2021 and head coach in 2024 and Eli as player in 2021. 

“He’s got the trifecta,” says Eli of Tre.’

Eli Watson was the starting third baseman for the Scott Hutchins-coached Class 2A state champs.

The youngest Watson played at Jeff/GRC Little League then travel ball with the Ironmen.

Chuck Watson founded the Southern Indiana Showcasers and Eli was with then for his 15U and 16U seasons then went with Canes Midwest for 17U.

At AWC, Watson played in 53 games (all starts) and hit .319 (59-of-185) with no home runs or triples, 14 doubles, 29 runs batted in, 37 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.

The Yuma-based and Drew Keehn-coached Matadors went 37-17 in junior college play.

“I absolutely loved it,” says Watson. “The majority of the team was from different parts of the world (Australia, Canada, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Germany and Panama).

“It was an amazing place to be even though there was absolutely nothing to do out there. To be able to play baseball with all types of different cultures was just awesome.

“Understanding the games from all these parts of the world gave me a lot of knowledge to bring back home.”

At WKU, Watson tore his ACL Nov. 11, 2021, took a medical redshirt in 2022 and played in 12 games and hit .250 with one homer in 2023.

He was with the Park Rangers in the College Summer League of Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in 2021, spent the next summer rehabbing his injury and played the summer of 2023 with the Sunbelt Baseball League’s Waleska (Ga.) Wild Things.

A 6-foot-1, 190-pounder, Watson throws from the right  side and swings from the left.

“My (offensive) approach is simple as it can be,” says Watson. “I zone hit meaning I pick a side of the plate to attack on and give the pitcher a part of the plate to try to beat me with.

“Most of time I’m looking for a fastball outside because on a lefty they want to go away. I’m hunting that outer-half heater and trying to go up the middle or over the shortstop’s head until I get to two strikes.”

With two strkes, Watson shortens his stroke and his grip and looks to see a ball higher in the strike zone and avoid chasing a ball in the dirt.

He has keys on defense.

“At first base it’s plain and simple for me — cup each ball up make sure it does not get by you by any means,” says Watson. “In the outfield, I stay above the ball on my routes so it doesn’t cross paths with my routes so I have to do a shoulder turn.”

Watson was a big fan of the Chicago Cubs when Alfonso Soriano was on the roster.

“Nowadays I just watch baseball to learn,” says Watson. “I like certain attributes from different player’s games — Ken Griffey’s swing the energy Bryce Harper brings to each and every game. He plays hard. I love the way Brandon Marsh stays loose.

“That’s a big part of my game — stay loose and have fun,” says Watson. “Make it serious, but not too serious to where you start pressing.”

Eli Watson. (Arizona Western College Photo)

Eli Watson. (Western Kentucky Photo)

Eli (left) and Tre’ Watson with 2021 IHSAA 2A state championship baseball trophy.

Righty fireballer Moore lands at Oregon

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Indiana-born fireballer Brock Moore is slated to play his last collegiate baseball season in the Pacific Northwest.

Moore, who was born in Greenwood, Ind., and grew up in Carmel, Ind., and graduated from University High School, committed this summer with the University of Oregon for 2023-24.

The first day of online summer classes for the Sports Management major begins for the big right-hander on Monday. He is to move to campus around Sept. 8 with the first baseball event slated for Sept. 14.

A 6-foot-6, 245-pounder, Moore has a four-seam fastball that sat at 94 to 96 mph and touched 98 this past spring while pitching for Menlo College — an NAIA program in Atherton, Calif.

Throwing from a high three-quarter arm slot, Moore also has a sinker, change-up and slider.

“I throw it kind of weird,” says Moore of his sinker. “I throw it with no seams, a reverse slider grip and I just pronate at the top of my arm action. 

“It kills a little bit of the velocity. It’s like 90 to 92 mph and I get some good run.”

It’s a four-seam “circle” change and sweeping slider that Moore throws.

It was when he figured out how to use his height to his advantage that Moore really took off as a pitcher.

Moore, who turned 23 in May, graduated from University in 2019 and watched from the dugout as the Trailblazers claimed an IHSAA Class 1A state championship. 

He was ineligible to play as a senior. He did not play baseball as a freshman and was on the junior varsity squad at Carmel High School as a sophomore. 

Following his mother to Terre Haute, Moore transferred briefly to Terre Haute South Vigo where he did not play and then back to Carmel while missing a full semester of classes and finals. He reached out University and got caught up academically and played there as a junior.

In 2018, Moore went 7-0 with a 2.77 ERA on the mound and hit .347 and 25 RBIs.

Moore spent one season each at National Junior College Athletic Association members Rend College in Ina, Ill. (2020), and Danville Area Community College (2021) and two at Menlo (2022 and 2023).

The COVID-19 pandemic cut short the 2020 season at Rend Lake. Moore relieved in one game and went 1-0 with no strikeouts and one walk in 1 1/3 innings.

At Danville Area, the righty came out of the bullpen for all eight of his mound appearances and went 0-1 with 15 strikeouts and 15 walks in 12 1/3 innings.

After pitching for the Park Rangers of the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in 2021 — the only summer he has played since becoming a collegian, Moore headed to California.

With the 2022 Menlo Oaks, he got into six games (four starts) and was 0-2 with a 4.00 earned run average, 25 strikeouts and 15 walks in 18 innings.

In 2023, all 11 of his appearances were starts and he went 2-5 with a 3.33 ERA, 70 strikeouts and 20 walks in 51 1/3 innings. That’s over 12 strikeouts per nine innings.

“I definitely learned to get a routine down,” says Moore. Juco was mostly go on your own and figure it out. Menlo was more organized. We had team lifts every week, a set practice schedule.”

Alex Hoover is the head coach at Menlo. Trent Verlin is the pitching coach.

“(Verlin) was the one who helped me master my change-up. I worked on it every bullpen and every pitching session. We worked on change-ups every time. 

“That helped my arm path and working out front. I saw velocity rise and it made the change-up my best secondary pitch.”

Moore also began working with online pitching trainer Ben Baggett (who is with the Toronto Blue Jays organization). 

Roommate Evan Wilcox, an Ontario native who was also at Rend Lake in 2020, found Baggett on Instagram and started training with him and Moore followed suit.

Baggett pitched at Stanford in 2019. Former Oregon player Jack Marder was on the Cardinal coaching staff and is an assistant at his alma mater. 

Marder reached out to Moore and an offer was made and accepted.

At one point Moore was going to play this summer for the Northwoods League’s Rochester (Minn.) Honkers, but plans changed.

Moore attended a pre-draft workout with the Texas Rangers in Cincinnati and later agreed to join former Purdue University head coach Mark Wasikowski at Oregon in 2023-24. “Waz” has led the Ducks since the 2020 season.

Blake Hawksworth was named pitching coach in July.

It has been announced that Oregon will move to the Big Ten Conference, but the Ducks will be in the Pac-12 during Moore’s season in Eugene.

Starting has been Moore’s most-recent role, but says he is also OK with coming out of the bullpen.

Growing up, Moore’s favorite player was Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

“He was a small guy,” says Moore. “But I loved Dustin.”

Moore’s favorite pitcher is right-hander Justin Verlander, who recently went back to the Houston Astros.

“I just love the way that he throws,” says Moore. “He brought life to having a very high-spin fastball and living up in the (strike) zone.

“He’s been doing that now for 20 years. He found a way that worked for him and he stuck with it. He’s phenomenal. He’ll go down as one of the greatest of all time.”

Moore played for the Indiana Mustangs — a travel organization led by University head coach Chris Estep — from 8U to 17U.

“I have to give him so much credit,” says Moore of Estep. “He’s helped me so much through my life. I look at him as my godfather almost.”

Brock’s parents are divorced. Jeff Moore is in sales and development with Blue Horseshoe in Carmel. Karen Moore is a dental assistant at Smiles in The Village in Westfield.

Step-sister Rose Lurie is 20 and an Indiana University student. 

Step-brother and welder Ben Lurie is 23 and slightly older than Ben.

Brock Moore. (Menlo College Photo)

Brock Moore. (Danville Area Community College Photo)

Brock Moore. (College Summer League at Grand Park Photo)

Brock Moore. (Menlo College Photo)

Guerin Catholic grad Parenteau transfers to Indiana State

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

When Matt Parenteau goes back to college in August he will be donning new colors — the Royal Blue and White of Indiana State University.

With two remaining years of baseball eligibility, the right-handed pitcher has transferred after two seasons at the University of Mississippi.

Parenteau, who turns 23 in December, is a 2019 graduate of Guerin Catholic High School in Noblesville, Ind. 

He pitched for Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio in 2020 — a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. That summer he was with the Park Rangers in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.

When the Sinclair Tartans program guided by Steve Dintaman shut down Parenteau transferred to National Junior College Athletic Association member Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., and pitched for the Jon Goebel-coached Cobras in 2021 (posting a 1.94 ERA with 74 K’s in 46 1/3 innings and landing on the all-Mid-West Athletic Conference and NJCAA all-academic first teams) then took the mound for Ole Miss in 2022 and 2023. 

Parenteau pitched eight times out of the bullpen through April 14 and the Mike Bianco-coached Rebels went on to win the 2022 College World Series. 

The summer saw Parenteau hurl in two games with the Northwoods League’s Kokomo (Ind.) Jackrabbits. He got a PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injection in the fall to strengthen the tendons and ligaments in his elbow.

The tall righty threw 49 in-game pitches for Ole Miss this past season. He got into games twice in February and twice in March. His last appearance for the Rebels was March 12, 2023 against Purdue. He underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery shortly after that and is now about two weeks away from being able to throw again.

In 26 collegiate games — 14 at the NJCAA level (11 starts) and 12 at NCAA Division I (all in relief) — he is 7-2 with one save, 94 strikeouts and 33 walks in 62 innings. 

Parenteau says his role at ISU will be up to his coaches and his progress in building back up after surgery.

Indiana State — with Mitch Hannahs as head coach and Justin Hancock as pitching coach — is coming off a 2023 season in which the Terre Haute-based Sycamores went 45-17 overall, 24-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference and advanced to the Fort Worth Super Regional.

Parenteau is 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds and delivers his pitches from a high three-quarter arm slot.

He throws a four-seam fastball, curveball and slider and hopes to add a change-up to his arsenal.

Pre-surgery, his four-seamer was clocked at 91 to 94 mph. His curve is of the “11 to 7” variety. It’s a traditional slider than Parenteau uses — not a sweeper.

“I’ve always had a strong arm growing up,” says Parenteau. “I worked hard and was a good teammate.

“I’ve always been tall. That’s always helped.”

One of his favorite big leaguers is 6-foot-8 Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow.

“He’s similar guy to me,” says Parenteau.

Born in Indianapolis, Parenteau grew up in Carmel, Ind. He played rec and travel ball through Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church and School until high school then for the Circle City Hoosiers and Indiana Lumber Kings — the last summer being 2019.

He was a baseball and basketball player at Guerin Catholic. 

On the diamond, his varsity head coach was Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Rich Andriole.

“He was awesome,” says Parenteau. “He was fun to play for. He was a really good coach.

“He taught us a lot — on the off the field.”

Andriole died in 2020.

On the hardwood, Parenteau had two head coaches — Pete Smith (who brought state championships to the Golden Eagles in 2012 and 2015) then Bobby Allen. 

“Playing basketball adds another aspect of athleticism that colleges coaches like to see,” says Parenteau. “Coach Smith taught the game really well. 

“Bobby Allen is a lot younger and brought a different style to the program. I really enjoyed playing for both of them.”

As a baseball senior, Parenteau posted a 1.90 earned run average with 73 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings and was named all-Circle City Conference and all-Hamilton County.

Parenteau earned a General Business degree at Mississippi in the spring. He is unsure what is academic pursuit will be at Indiana State.

Matt is the oldest child of Bob and Andrea Parenteau. He is in ticket sales with the Indianapolis Colts. She is a nurse. Both were swimmers at Ball State University. Uncles Jon and Dan Parenteau swam at Ohio University and the University of Connecticut, respectively.

Siblings of Matt include brothers Jack and Will and sisters Ally and Anna. Former prep basketballer Jack Parenteau (Guerin Catholic Class of 2021) nows attends Purdue University. Will Parenteau (Guerin Catholic Class of 2025) is a basketball player and golfer.

Matt Parenteau. (University of Mississippi Photo)

Matt Parenteau. (University of Mississippi Photo)

Matt Parenteau. (University of Mississippi Photo)

Athleticism helps Indiana Southeast’s Hazelwood around the diamond

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Brayden Hazelwood has used his adaptability and athleticism to effectively play multiple positions on the baseball field.

He was recruited from Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis to Indiana University Southeast as a shortstop. With talented Daunte DeCello (who played at the University of Toledo in 2023) at that spot, Hazelwood served the Grenadiers at other places on the diamond.

In the spring at IUS, he was mostly in the outfield with some time at first base.

This summer with the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League’s Southern Ohio Copperheads (playing home games at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium), Hazelwood has been a shortstop and lead-off hitter. He was a shortstop for the Park Rangers in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in 2021 and the Northwoods League’s Green Bay (Wis.) Rockers in the summer of 2022.

“I’m just a versatile athlete,” says Hazelwood, a 6-foot-1, 180-pounder. “Wherever the team needs me is where I’ll be able to play. Shortstop feels like home.

“I use my athleticism (in the field). I’m quick twitch. I have speed. I can cover some ground. I try not to get beat over my head. I trust my glove. I trust my arm.”

Hazelwood’s favorite player is Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.

“Not just the way he played the game but the way that he carried himself on and off the field,” says Hazelwood. “I really liked him as a role model growing up.”

In 2023, Hazelwood played in 51 games (45 starts) for IUS, missing a few midseason games with a wrist injury. Swinging from the right side of the plate, he hit .294 (45-of-153) with seven home runs, one triple, 10 doubles, 32 runs batted in, 36 runs scored and four stolen bases.

In 98 career games (2021-23), Hazelwood is hitting .301 (58-of-193) with seven homers, two triples, 14 doubles, 46 RBIs, 65 runs and 12 steals. 

In that span, the Grenadiers are 123-51 overall and 66-12 in the River States Conference. IUS went to the College World Series in 2021.

Hazelwood, who has one remaining year of eligibility, describes his power as gap-to-gap.

“I like to get on base, steal some bases, make pitchers work and hit for average,” says Hazelwood. “Doubles and home runs come from hitting mistakes.”

Hazelwood, who turns 21 in July, has one remaining year of eligibility in 2023-24 and it will come with an new head coach. Ben Reel stepped down as Grenadiers field boss after 15 seasons.

“It was amazing,” says Hazelwood of his time playing for Reel. “He taught me so many lessons on the field and off the field. He’s a great guy. Baseball-wise, he’s the one you want in your corner. I’d have to say the same thing life-wise.”

Hazelwood, a Criminal Justice major with a Psychology minor, and other returning players are meeting this week with the three finalists for head coach post. They get to ask questions and give their input in the process as IU Southeast gets a whole new coaching staff.

Born in Indianapolis and raised on the south side of Indy, Hazelwood got his formal baseball start at what is now Decatur Central Little League. He spent two travel ball stints with the Indiana Nitro and also represented the Indiana Baseball Academy Storm and Jeff Stout-coached Indiana Twins.

At Decatur Central High, Hazelwood saw some varsity time as a freshman and sophomore and played there full-time as a junior. The COVID-19 pandemic took away his senior season in 2020.

His head coach the first three years was Jason Combs. Sean Winkelseth followed.

Louisville native Nate Hazelwood runs his own recruitment consulting business. Decatur Central alum Kara Hazelwood is an instructional coach for Indianapolis Public Schools.

Brayden is the oldest of Nate and Kara’s four children. All are athletes. Sydney Hazelwood (Decatur Central Class of 2024) is in softball, Landyn Hazelwood (Decatur Central Class of 2026) is in football and track and Jordyn Hazelwood (Decatur Middle School eighth grader in 2023-24) is in volleyball, track and softball.

Brayden Hazelwood. (Indiana University Southeast Photo)

Brayden Hazelwood. (River States Conference Image)

Brayden Hazelwood. (College Summer League at Grand Park Photo)

Brayden Hazelwood. (Southern Ohio Copperheads Photo)

Brayden Hazelwood. (Indiana University Southeast Photo)

Brayden Hazelwood. (Southern Ohio Copperheads Photo)

Schmack coming back for fifth year for Valpo U. Beacons

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Kyle Schmack will continue playing college baseball for his father while he furthers his education.

With a Finance degree in-hand and one year of remaining eligibility, Kyle is coming back to Valparaiso (Ind.) University — where father Brian Schmack just completed his 10th season as head coach — and will enter graduate school, going for a Master of Analytics and Modeling with an eye on being a financial analyst after college. 

“It’s fun,” says Kyle of playing for his dad. “I never got to do it growing up.

“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”

Kyle enjoyed a memorable 2023 season.

In 47 games (47 starts), the righty swinger hit .322 (55-of-171) with nine home runs, one triple, 15 doubles, 38 runs batted in, 47 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.

In four seasons (2020-23), Schmack is hitting .283 (165-of-583) with 18 homers, three triples, 37 doubles, 93 RBIs, 100 runs and 22 stolen bases. The 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and several players — including Schmack — were granted an extra year of eligibility.

Schmack, who turned 22 in May, has an approach in the batter’s box.

“I just try to see the ball deep,” says Schmack. “It gives me a better bat path.

“If I don’t see the ball deep I won’t recognize a curveball or a slider and I’ll just swing through it.”

While he has clubbed circuit clouts at Valpo and during his days at South Central Junior/Senior High School in Union Mills, Ind., Schmack does not consider himself a home run hitter.

“I try to go for doubles more than anything else,” says Schmack. “Home runs happen as an accident almost. 

“I’m not trying to be a contact hitter and put everything in play. I’m still trying to get my ‘A’ swing off. But I’m not trying to hit the ball and launch it over the wall.”

He has defensive keys, too.

“(Coaches) tell us to make sure you catch the ball, stay behind it, block ground balls and make sure guys don’t take extra bases,” says Schmack. “That’s a key for us.”

A 6-foot-1, 240-pound first baseman when he started at Valpo, Schmack turned himself into a 6-1, 215-pound outfielder.

“I shed weight and improved my speed,” says Schmack.

The Missouri Valley Conference member Valpo Beacons play home games at Emory G. Bauer Field, which has a turf infield and grass outfield.

A Chicago White Sox fan, one of the big league players Schmack admires is Andrew Vaughn.

After playing for the Park Rangers in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in 2020, the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League’s Utica (N.Y.) Blue Sox in 2021 and Coastal Plain League’s Peninsula Pilots (Hampton, Va.) in 2022, Schmack is working for Bullpen Tournaments this summer.

Born in Round Lake, Ill., Schmack grew up in Wanatah, Ind.

He played his first few years of travel ball with the Chesterton Vipers then went to the Dyer Jayhawks. In high school, he played for the Indiana Chargers. Justin Barber was his head coach much of the time.

At 18U, Schmack played for the Chicago Heights, Ill.- based Midwest Rangers.

A 2019 South Central graduate, Schmack played for Satellites coaches Ryan Kruszka and former Valpo U. pitcher Jarad Miller.

“I love them to death,” says Schmack. “They really had a great impact on me.

“They were able to teach me how to play baseball and play it right and how to be a better man.”

Schmack was the MVP of the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Madison.

Kyle is the oldest of Brian and Cari Schmack’s three children. Twins Ella and Riley Schmack (South Central Class of 2023) played volleyball in high school and are bound for Valpo U.

Cari Schmack is a receptionist in a dermatologist’s office.

Kyle Schmack. (Valparaiso University Photo)

Kyle Schmack. (Valparaiso University Photo)

Brian, Kyle (MVP) and Cari Schmack and Jeff McKeon at 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Madison, Ind. (Steve Krah Photo)

Kyle Schmack. (Valparaiso University Photo)

Wichman raises interest, expectations for Scottsburg Warriors

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

Brian Wichman has helped Scottsburg (Ind.) High School to many baseball successes since taking over the Warriors program.
When he came on board prior to the 2018 season, Scottsburg had not had not posted a record above .500 since 2004 and high school players were not involved in travel ball in the summer.
“We had to get back to the basics and get people interested in ball,” says Wichman. “I’ve tried to really push kids toward travel ball.”
Wichman’s Warriors went 15-13 in 2018, regressed to 9-19 in 2019 with a young squad (there were only two seniors and one junior), missed the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic then sported 19-10 mark in 2021 bolstered by the senior and sophomore classes.
There were 22 players to take on varsity and junior varsity schedules.
Scottsburg (enrollment around 770) is a member of the Mid-Southern Conference (with Austin, Brownstown Central, Charlestown, Clarksville, Corydon Central, Eastern of Pekin, North Harrison, Salem and Silver Creek).
In 2021, the Warriors were part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping with Brownstown Central, Charlestown, Corydon Central, Madison Consolidated, North Harrison, Salem and Silver Creek (the 2021 host). Scottsburg has won six sectional crowns — the last in 1996.
Scottsburg plays on Warrior Field, an on-campus facility that was laser-graded four years ago and has Bermuda grass.
“It looks really good, especially when we get to May,” says Wichman.
Feeder systems include Scott County Youth League (T-ball through 12U) and a middle school team of seventh and eighth graders that play schools in the MSC and Hoosier Hills Conference.
Wichman, who teaches engineering and welding classes and is involved in Project Lead The Way at Scottsburg, has extensive coaching experiences at the high school and travel ball levels.
His first season was as a Columbus (Ind.) East High School assistant in 1995 while he was doing his student teaching. Wichman graduated from Ball State University with an Industrial Technology degree. He played baseball for one season (1991) at Indiana University Southeast before transferring to BSU.
Wichman served as an assistant at North Harrison High School in Ramsey, Ind., in 1996 and 1997 and helped at Columbus (Ind.) North High School in 2007.
From 2004-14, he ran the Indiana Blazers travel organization and coached for the Indiana Prospects in 2015 and 2016.
Brian and wife Cathy have four sons and all played for the Blazers and other travel teams, including the Indiana Prospects, Cincinnati Flames
Evansville Razorbacks and Indiana Bulls, as well as at Columbus East.
Left-handed pitcher Brian “B.T.” Wichman (Columbus East Class of 2013) was at Murray State University, Gulf Coast Community College and the University of Indianapolis. Peyton Gray, a 2014 Columbus East graduate now in the Kansas City Royals organization, was a high school and GCCC teammate.
Defensive back/catcher Christian Wichman (Columbus East Class of 2014) went to Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Ky., for football and baseball then transferred to play baseball at the University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Ga.).
Defensive back Noah Wichman (Columbus East Class of 2016) played football at Taylor University in Upland, Ind.
Infielder Jonah Wichman (Columbus East Class of 2019) was on the baseball team at Butler University in Indianapolis in 2020 and 2021 and has transferred to St. Charles Community College (Cottleville, Mo.).
The past two summers, Brian Wichman has been an assistant in the College Summer League at Grand Park — in 2020 with head coach Joe Thatcher’s Park Rangers and in 2021 with head coach Kevin Christman’s Moon Shots.
A 1990 graduate of Seymour (Ind.) High School, Wichman played one varsity season for Owls coach Bob Bowman.

Brian Wichman (Eyes Of The Heart Photography)

The Wichman family (from left): Noah. B.T., Cathy, Brian, Christian and Jonah.

The Wichmans (from left): First row — Cathy and Brian; Second row — Noah, B.T., Jonah and Christian.

Cathy and Brian Wichman.

Brian and Cathy Wichman.

Cathy, B.T. and Brian Wichman.

Brian, Jonah and Cathy Wichman.

Purdue’s Firestone using summer to get better

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

Jack Firestone is getting his cuts and hitting his cut-off man while preparing for his next college baseball season.
A lefty-swinging outfielder, Firestone is playing for the Patrick Morey-coached Local Legends in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., and works on his swing at The Barn in Lapel, Ind., with Mike Shirley and Scott French and with current Zionsville (Ind.) Community High School head coach Jered Moore and former ZCHS assistant and current University of Indianapolis volunteer coach Jeremy Honaker and lifts weights with Laird Training’s Sean Laird.
“I’ve always believed in those guys and they’ve always been there for me,” says Firestone of Moore and Honaker.
Firestone smacked a home run and rapped two singles in a CSL game this past week.
“I’m just trying to put the bat on the ball the best I can — just put the ball on the ball,” says Firestone. “If it gets out, it gets out.”
Firestone was a redshirt freshman at Purdue University in the spring of 2021 and got into 24 games (four as a starter) on a team that had three seniors starting in the outfield — Ben Nisle in left, fifth-year Skyler Hunter in center and Miles Simington in right.
“It was a waiting year for me,” says Firestone, a Financial Counseling and Planning major and Management minor. “Just be patient for next year.”
Firestone did not see action during the 2020 Boilermakers season that was abbreviated because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Greg Goff is Purdue’s head coach.
“I love playing for him,” says Firestone. “He’s high energy. I love him. He knows what he’s doing.”
He did play in the inaugural CSL season for the Joe Thatcher-coached Park Rangers and was named to the all-star team.
While at Zionsville, where he graduated in 2019, Firestone earned three baseball letters playing for Moore.
Firestone was named offensive player of the year as a senior. The Eagles won sectional titles in 2017 and 2018 and regional crown in 2017. That was year the year he was named junior varsity MVP. He was the freshmen squad MVP at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Ind., before his family moved to Zionsville.
Born in Warsaw, Ind., to golf pro Todd and Purdue alum Jennie, Jack went to Fort Wayne while in kindergarten and played his first organized baseball in Don Ayres Little League. He played travel ball for the Summit City Spartans, Leo Lions and Fort Wayne Diamondbacks then — after moving to Boone County — the Indiana Mustangs. He also played fall ball for the San Francisco Giants scout team.
Todd Firestone, the son of Tom Firestone, played golf and basketball at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., served as head golf pro at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club in Milford, Ind., and Fort Wayne Country Club before taking that post at Meridian Hills Country Club in Indianapolis at the start of 2016. Tom Firestone is in the Kosciusko County Basketball and Bethel University Athletic halls of fame and was athletic director at Elkhart (Ind.) Memorial High School.
Trey Firestone, Jack’s little brother and a senior at Zionsville Community in 2022, is a football wide receiver getting NCAA Division I offers.

Jack Firestone (Purdue University Photo)

Jack Firestone (Purdue University Photo)

Jack Firestone (Purdue University Photo)

Bloomington’s Cornwell building coaching resume

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

Only a few years removed from playing himself, Adam Cornwell sees what makes today’s young baseball players tick in the era of metrics and analytics.
“It’s a different era of baseball,” says Cornwell, a former pitcher at Bloomington High School North, the University of Indianapolis, University of Pittsburgh and independent professional ball and the head coach of the 2021 Park Rangers in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. “They want to show off their athletic ability a little more as well as their velocity, strength and all this stuff.
“Metrics are a big numbers and they’re being used. Every single pitch is measured.”
When not guiding the Park Rangers, Cornwell can often be found at Grand Park learning how to use technology like TrackMan. He is also seeking his next full-time gig.
He just finished a two-year stint on the coaching staff at the University of Dayton, where he had access to Rapsodo, Synergy and more. Jayson King is the Flyers head coach. Cornwell assisted pitching coach Travis Ferrick. Dayton won 11 straight Atlantic-10 Conference games leading into the conference tournament where the Flyers were beaten by Virginia Commonwealth in the championship game.
Cornwell spent the 2019 season at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. It Paul Panik’s first season as a head coach and his Gaels staff was among the youngest in NCAA Division I with Panik (29), head assistant Andrew Pezzuto (26), volunteer J.T. Genovese (23) and pitching coach Cornwell (24).
“Learning with those guys was awesome,” says Cornwell, now 26. “I had freedom and it made me grow faster. I was thrown into the fire early.
“I’m super-thankful for the opportunity I was given over there.”
Before beginning his coaching career, right-hander Cornwell pitched briefly with the Frontier League’s 2018 Traverse City (Mich.) Beach Bums. Manager Dan Rohn and pitching coach Greg Cadaret were former big leaguers.
Cornwell was signed by Traverse City after playing for the Grizzly in the California Winter League in Palm Springs. There he got to work with Dom Johnson and work out with Joe Musgrove (who pitched the first no-hitter in San Diego Padres history April 9, 2021).
“Dom is probably the best pitching coach in the country,” says Cornwell. “He’s just a stud.
“I got to work out with (Musgrave) a lot. I got to learn how pro guys go about their day and their business. Dom showed me how I needed to change my ways of working out. He is the guy that made me the player I was.”
Cornwell was connected to Johnson through Tracy Smith, whom Cornwell knew from Smith’s time as head coach at Indiana University in Bloomington.
“He is the reason I wanted to get into coaching,” says Cornwell of the former Arizona State University head coach. “I see the way he was day in and day out and how his kids looked up to him. He’s their hero. There’s no better family than that family.”
Smith’s children are among Cornwell’s best friends. Jack Smith was going to be in his Oct. 24 wedding in Bloomington (Cornwell is engaged to Renee Rhoades of St. Charles, Ill.) but he is expected to be the starting quarterback at Central Washington University after transferring from Arizona State.
Cornwell played three seasons for College Baseball Hall of Famer Gary Vaught and pitching coach Mark Walther at UIndy and graduated in 3 1/2 years. He joined the Pitt Panthers featuring head coach Joe Jordano and pitching coach Jerry Oakes just before the start of the 2017 season.
“I credit my coaching path to Coach Vaught,” says Cornwell. “He got me to the University of Pittsburgh. That’s where I made connections to start coaching.”
Cornwell, who holds Sport Management from Indianapolis and master’s degree in Athletic Coaching from Ball State University, appreciates his relationship with Walther.
“He’s a great dude and a hard worker,” says Cornwell. “As a pitching coach he allowed me to be me.”
Walther, the director of operations at Pro X Athlete Development, now runs the College Summer League at Grand Park and Cornwell reached out to him and landed his position with the Park Rangers and has former UIndy pitcher John Hendry and former Center Grove High School pitcher and current Trojans freshmen coach Zach Anderson as assistants.
Born and raised in Bloomington, Cornwell played in Danny Smith Park Baseball Leagues in Unionville, Ind., beginning at age 4.
The Smithville (Ind.) Sluggers were an early travel team. In high school, he was with the Southern Indiana Redbirds among others. That team featured three players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft — Seymour High School graduate Zack Brown (fifth round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016), Columbus North alum Daniel Ayers (25th round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013) and Greenwood Community graduate Alex Krupa (35th round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2015).
In one tournament at East Cobb in Atlanta, Cornwell’s team picked up Nick Senzel as a shortstop and Cornwell pitched the only no-hitter of his career. Senzel is now an outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds.
A 2013 Bloomington North graduate, Cornwell play for Richard Hurt.
“He’s a worker and he does everything right,” says Cornwell of Hurt. “He’s on top of everything. He’s super-prepared. Every practice is down to the T.
“He demands respect and in return he gives a ton of respect to his players and the freed to be what they want to be. That’s the way these kids are taking to coaching and he understands that.”
Adam is the son of Kara (John) Jacobs and George (Michelle) Cornwell and has seven siblings — Andrew, Matt, Allison, Jake, Sabrina, Ayden and Addisyn.

Adam Cornwell with mother Kara Jacobs.

Adam Cornwell (left) with father George Cornwell.

Adam Cornwell (center) coaching at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Adam Cornwell pitching in the California Winter League.

Adam Cornwell pitching for the independent Traverse City (Mich.) Beach Bums.

Right-hander Geesaman seeking next baseball opportunity

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

Wyatt Geesaman is seeking other baseball opportunities and he’s honing his pitching skills in the College Summer League at Grand Park.
A 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher, Geesman graduated from Jay County High School in Portland, Ind., in 2019 and began his college experience at the University of Cincinnati, where he made two mound appearances in two years.
The former Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series participant is now in the NCAA Transfer Portal.
“I’m looking around and seeing what is a good fit,” says Geesaman, who is with the CSL’s Caleb Fenimore-coached Bag Bandits in 2021 after twirling for the Park Rangers in the circuit’s inaugural season of 2020. “I go out there and try to compete.
“I focus on that pitch and try not to let what happened before effect me or what happens next.”
Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., is about a 90-minute trip from Portland. Geesaman does his training at home and travels on gameday.
Geesaman identifies the area where he’s improved most since his Jay County days.
“I’m more consistent,” says Geesaman. “In high school I was kind of wild. I’ve settled down a little bit.”
Delivering from a high three-quarter overhand arm slot, Geesaman throws a four-seam fastball which sits at 85 to 89 mph and has been up to 92. He also has a 12-to-6 curveball and a “circle” change-up.
Beginning in high school, Geesaman began pitching from the stretch even with the bases empty
“It simplified things a little bit,” says Geesaman.
At Jay County, Geesaman played for veteran coach Lea Selvey.
“I love him,” says Geesaman of Selvey. “He’s a great guy to play for. He still helps me out today if I need help.”
Geesaman, 20, was born in Muncie, Ind., grew up in Portland and played his first organized baseball in the Redkey (Ind.) Junior League.
At 10, he switched to travel ball and was with the Indiana Longhorns, Summit City Sluggers and Indiana Prospects before spending his high school summers with the Indiana Bulls.
Geesaman earned four baseball letters for the Patriots — tossing a perfect game with 18 strikeouts helping his team to a sectional title as a senior. Jay County won conference, sectional and regional titles his junior season. He also played forward in basketball and receiver in football for JC.
At Cincinnati, Geesaman was working toward at Marketing degree.
Jeff and Lisa Geesaman have two sons — Jacob (a 2021 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology graduate) and Wyatt.
The Bag Bandits are scheduled to play a single game with the Turf Monsters at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, June 20 at Championship Park in Kokomo and a 3 p.m. doubleaheader against the Park Rangers on Monday, June 21 at Grand Park.

Wyatt Geesaman (U. of Cincinnati Photo)