By Chris Parker
Stockton baseball has rattled off three consecutive 20-win season posting a 21-4 record last season.
Five starters return for this season.
“We lost several power bats and arms from last year,” Stockton head coach Darin Henderson said. “We will have to find more creative ways to score runs on offense. We will have to play clean on defense. We don’t have the strikeout guys that can bail us out that we have had in the past.”
Some of those gaps will be filled by a juniors and sophomores who have made big strides in the off-season.
“Our junior and sophomore classes have made big jumps in their strength and skill,” Henderson said. “Our offseason was highly attended, and they got better over the fall and winter. We expect them to keep getting better day in and day out and be playing our best baseball at the end of the season. It is a group that is committed to development and will work hard to reach its potential.”
The infield will feature Kale Rader (senior 1B), Jace Fisher (freshman 2B/P), Cannon Brown (sophomore SS/P), Justus King (junior SS/P), Henry Abercrombie (sophomore 3B/P) and Rhett Fullerton (junior utility).
Henderson on Rader: “Kale is a big bat in the middle of our lineup. He is our only returning senior, and he played significant varsity innings over the last two seasons. We expect him to take a leap this season and be our everyday first baseman. He has solid hands for a big guy, which will benefit him both in the field and at the plate. He is recovering from knee surgery this fall, but we think he will be ready early in the season.”
Henderson on Fisher: “Jace is an athletic player who has played a lot of baseball. He has a high baseball IQ and is growing into his body. He will have a chance to play significant innings for us this spring. He will also compete for some mound time at the varsity level. He can throw several different pitches for strikes and has pitched in big games before.”
Henderson on Brown: “Cannon played varsity the entire year last year. He was our primary third baseman and was used in the closer role. He threw some big games for us on the mound. Cannon has played a lot of baseball. Over the past several years, he has been part of a successful travel ball team. When he is not on the mound, he will be in the middle infield. He has a solid swing and can hit the ball to all fields. He can become a really good player for us in the future. He will be a top arm for us this spring.”
Henderson on King: “He played a significant portion of varsity innings over the last two seasons. He did an excellent job competing and making the most of his opportunities. He had two signature wins last year, beating both Fair Grove and Licking while he was on the mound. He has a good mix of off-speed pitches, and his velocity has increased this winter. I believe Justus will have a fantastic year for us. The experience he gained last year will only prepare him for this season. He will likely play middle infield and probably be our No. 1 or 2 on the mound.”
Henderson on Abercrombie: “Henry is a big, strong kid who has played a lot of baseball. He is a hardworking kid who has made great progress over the last couple of years. He played limited varsity innings for us last year, even getting a win on the mound against East Newton. We look for Henry to contribute significantly at the varsity level. Both at the plate and on the mound. He will likely play corner infield and hit in the middle of our lineup.”
Henderson on Fullerton: “Rhett is a move-in kid that we have seen very little of. What we have seen looks to be solid. I expect him to push for some varsity time at a variety of positions.”
Weslee Hargus (sophomore), Fullerton and JJ Anderson (junior) are all in competition for time at catcher.
Henderson on Hargus: “Wes is a solid defensive catcher with natural athleticism. He has also played extensively in travel ball, and we believe he can contribute at the varsity level. He will compete to be our varsity catcher. He also has quick hands and can hit velocity well. We expect him to be in the varsity mix this year.”
Henderson on Anderson: “JJ missed his freshman year with a leg injury. He has a good swing and will push for varsity time in the outfield and possibly behind the plate. He became our everyday DH towards the middle of the season and had some big at-bats for us down the stretch.”
Anderson (LF), Wesston Garver (junior CF) and Ty Hansen (junior RF/P) will make up the outfield.
Henderson on Garver: “Wesston is a gifted defensive outfielder. He is a natural at getting reads on the ball. He improved tremendously over the last couple of years, which will help him compete for varsity time in the outfield. He also has improved at the plate and will push for some varsity at-bats. He has improved his speed and will be a problem for other teams on the base paths.”
Henderson on Hansen: “Ty has worked incredibly hard over the last couple of summers and off-seasons. He has put in a lot of extra time, and that effort will pay off this spring. He has increased his arm strength and exit velocity, and we expect him to compete for an outfield spot this spring. Ty also has a great deal of potential on the mound; he has a long, athletic body and should continue to gain velocity as he grows bigger and stronger. Ty has a chance to see some varsity innings on the mound and to spend a lot of time in the outfield.”
Jon Brummett (sophomore) will see innings on the mound pitching.
“Jon has a strong arm and the ability to pitch some varsity innings for us,” Henderson said. “He will also compete for multiple spots on defense. He has the potential to become a really good player in the future.”
Rader and King will be team leaders.
“They bring energy and a strong work ethic to practice every day,” Henderson said. “They are going to push our younger players to get better on a daily basis.”
Overall, Henderson will have options all over the field with a deep roster.
“Depth is our biggest strength,” Henderson said. “I believe we have 12-14 guys who can contribute at the varsity level. We will need to find roles for all of them, but it’s the deepest roster I’ve had in a long time. I think we will be able to accomplish a lot in practice because there is not a significant drop-off in talent between our varsity and our JV.”
Leighton Heiskell (sophomore), Quinton Pulsipher (sophomore), Hudson Garver (freshman), Carter Reser (freshman), Brayden Spurgeon (sophomore), Caleb McGinnis (junior), Hunter Nolting (sophomore) and Gunner Nolting (sophomore) are all newcomers according to Henderson.
Henderson on Heiskell: “Leighton matured a lot over the last year. He has gotten stronger and looks to push for some varsity time. He has played a lot of baseball and can do a variety of things that will help the team. His swing has greatly improved over the offseason, and it could make an impact for us.”
Henderson on Pulsipher: “Quinton is a big, strong kid who has developed maturity over the last couple of years.”
Henderson on Hudson Garver: “Hudson is an athletic player who has a ton of potential. He will push for some varsity time at various positions.”
Henderson on Reser: “Carter is an athletically gifted player. He is still raw on the skill side, but he has a chance to compete for varsity innings.”
Henderson on Spurgeon: “Brayden is a smart baseball player who can play multiple positions and has a strong presence on the mound. He will push for mound time this spring.”
Henderson on McGinnis: “Caleb is an athletic kid who will push for some time in the outfield this spring. He has progressively gotten better year after year.”
Henderson on Hunter Nolting: “Hunter is an intelligent, smooth baseball player. He is starting to mature, and when he does, he will contribute to our success. Hunter is a great teammate who always has his teammates’ backs. He is a great kid to have in the dugout.”
Henderson on Gunner Nolting: “Gunner has moved back to Stockton after being away for a couple of years. He has a good swing and has put a lot of time into this offseason. He will be a good player for us once he matures into his body and gains some strength.”
Stockton opens the regular season Mar. 21-25 at the Stockton Tournament.
