STACYVILLE, Maine — A youth movement is underway for the Katahdin baseball team this season under the guidance of second-year coach Tim Thoreson.
Although young, the Cougars have a bundle of returning players, which should bode well not only for this season, but for years to come.
“This season we are returning seven of our nine starters from a year ago,” coach Thoreson said, “We are excited about the upcoming season and looking to build upon all of the progress we made last year as a program.”
Last year, Katahdin was 4-10 during the regular season, but still managed to snag a play-off spot. The Cougars were the No. 10 seed and upset No. 7 Ashland, 7-6, in a preliminary playoff before falling to No. 2 Hodgdon, 4-1, in the quarterfinals.
“We are just a group of guys trying to become better men through baseball,” Thoreson said.
Members of the 2017 Katahdin baseball team include seniors Devin McGraw (first base, outfield) and Dalton Hartt (third base, first base, pitcher, catcher); juniors Chase Tapley (outfield), Brody Guiggey (second base, pitcher), Rig Otero (utility, pitcher), Cooper Drew (shortstop, third base, pitcher), Zach Hagan (catcher, outfield), and Andy Cummings (outfield); sophomores John McNally first base, outfield) and Evan Tapley (outfield); and freshmen Caleb Giles (outfield, second base, pitcher), Blake Howes (pitcher, catcher, outfield), Dawson McKinney (outfield) and Bryce Sinclair (outfield).
“Our team strengths this year should be baserunning and defense,” the coach said. “Our overall mental processing speed in game situations is where we want to improve. We want our players reacting out of habit in game situations.”
Among the key losses to graduation were Derek Atkinson (designated hitter), Tyson Porter (pitcher, shortstop, third base) and Dakota Reinhardt (catcher).
Assisting Thoreson will be Jamie McNally. The Cougars open their season Monday, April 24, at Penobscot Valley (Howland) at 4 p.m.
