There is something going around the roster for the Manitou Springs baseball team. Entering the 2022 season, the players are suffering from a case of lofty expectations.
The symptoms are clear. The team is happy to be on the field and, with the players they have coming back, there is genuine hope that the team will have its best season since finishing as the Class 3A state runner-up in 2016.
“I’m glad we have more games to play,” senior Raymond McCaskey said. “There is going to be more action and I think that we’re going to be really good this year.”
The Mustangs are finally at a point where they’re familiar with each other. After the entire 2020 season was cancelled and the 2021 season was shortened, both due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has finally gotten the chance to get comfortable with the roster.
Last spring, they were essentially dealing with two freshmen classes, and it took some time for the players to bond as a team.
That bond looks strong this year and it isn’t just the players that are excited to get the season going.
“If this isn’t (the most talented team I’ve coached), it’s up there,” coach Brandon DeMatto said. “That 2016 team, even that 2015 team was great even though I was just an assistant. For me as a head coach, this is easily the most talented and experienced team that I’ve had.”
The Mustangs lost just two seniors — Thor Flett and Caden Harris — from last year’s team. This season’s senior and junior classes bring back players who have seen varsity time dating back to the last full regular season before COVID-19 threw a wrench into the spring seasons.
Along with McCaskey, Ethan Boren, Davis Mack and Tate Christian all saw significant time last year. Junior Andrew Rhodes will provide stability at the shortstop position and sophomores Nate Gentzel and Jake Thomson will play more vital roles with the team.
The early stages of the season will see the Mustangs head to Arizona for the Coach Bob Pride Classic. Seeing different teams before jumping into league play can hopefully get this team playing up to its potential.
“We need to have confidence and have fun,” McCaskey said. “A lot of guys don’t give themselves enough credit and put too much pressure on themselves. We just need to go out, have fun and trust our abilities.”