CALDWELL, Idaho – Year in and year out, the top teams in what was the NAIA West Grouping have been the squads with a deep pitching staff. As the Cascade Conference returns to sponsor baseball as a sport for the first time in over a decade, The College of Idaho boasts a group of 18 arms that look to vault the Yotes into postseason play for the first time since 2017.
The Coyotes return five pitchers who threw 30 or more innings in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, along with four others who made at least two appearances out of the bullpen. That group will be joined by four transfers and five true freshmen – all who have the potential to see time on the mound.
All four pitchers who started the final series of the 2020 season are back – each who made huge strides during the seven-week campaign.
Two-way player
Austin Van Horne had a breakout season, making the move from a back-end bullpen arm to a Friday starter. The senior finished 2020 with a 1-1 record and a team-best 2.08 ERA, striking out 42 men in 30.1 innings, holding opponents to a mere .143 batting average. The Caldwell product posted three games with at least eight strikeouts – including a season-high 11 punch outs against Simpson.
"He became our No. 1 starter last year and has the best change up and one of the best breaking balls on our staff," said head coach,
Shawn Humberger. "When Austin commands his fastball, he is a true ace on our staff."
A trio of sophomores made the leap to the rotation in 2020, with COVID stopping what was a great run by the underclassmen.
Connor Root, who had injuries derail his freshman season, bounced back from a rough start to 2020 to finish with a 3-3 mark – tossing at least seven innings in each of his final three starts – including an 8-inning, 2-run effort at Lewis-Clark State.
Jared Bowman served as the long reliever out of the pen to start 2020 and joined the rotation in late February, finishing the season with a 1-1 record and a 3.19 ERA in 31 innings.
Silas Shumate made the move from a reliever to a starter at the start of league play, finishing with a 1-1 mark and a 4.75 ERA, striking out 23 batters in 30 innings.
"Root was healthy this fall for the first time in his three years at C of I," Humberger said. "He has command of three above-average pitches and has the ability to be a No. 1 type starter. Bowman learned to command his fastball last year and look for him to continue to get better and fight for important innings. Shumate is a 3-pitch guy who just keeps getting better – he showed better command of his fastball and should be in the mix for a starting slot."
Two other returners started 2020 in the rotation and became key members of the bullpen.
Dimick Wood had 30 strikeouts in 36 innings of work – including a 1-hit shutout of William Jessup, while
Ben Tighe made a team-best 12 appearances, picking up a win and a save in the final series of the year against Park Gilbert.
"Wood was better in every phase of his game this fall, we look to see him carry that momentum into the 2021 season," Humberger said. "Tighe came on strong midseason and became our closer. I look for him to put a complete season together for us this year."
Three other returners will fight for innings – as
Luke Brewer,
John Duffy and
Carter Vieira all are squarely in the mix. Brewer, a second-year player, is the lone left-hander on the staff, will be key to the Yotes success after an up-and-down freshman season. Duffy made just three relief appearances as a freshman, while Vieira, a 2-way player, looks to be a potential late inning reliever.
"Brewer struggled with his command during the season, but had an outstanding fall, throwing three effective pitches for strikes," Humberger said. "Duffy has been effective in scrimmages this fall, but will need to carry that success into games. Vieira has the stuff to be back end bullpen guy, but doesn't have the experience. We will look to get innings out of him in 2021."
Of the new pitchers, freshman
Hunter Kirkpatrick and transfer
Erik Wisenor have the potential to be in the mix for a starter role. Kirkpatrick, who didn't get to play his senior season at Crescent Valley High in Oregon, was a 2-time Under Armour Preseason All-American while living in Montana – starring for the Helena Senators American Legion Program – and has an upper 80s fastball. Wisenor spent the last two seasons at Division II Concordia-Portland, serving as the top bullpen arm for the Cavs – logging a 2.89 ERA and averaging a strikeout per inning pitched in 2020.
"Kirkpatrick has three above average pitches and made huge strides with his command in the fall," Humberger said. "I expect him to compete for a starting spot or back end bullpen innings. Wisenor also has three above average pitches and when he commands his fastball, he showed he is a top end starter."
Three transfers and a freshmen all look to battle for key innings in 2021 – whether in a starter or reliever role. Junior transfer
Brendan Boily went a combined 5-0 in his two seasons at the College of Southern Idaho and was a starter last season at Division II Southern Nazarene. Sophomore
Kyle McPeak heads to C of I after two seasons at Big Bend CC; freshman
Wyatt Hankard had 10 strikeouts in 15 innings last season at Hartnell CC; with true freshman
Colby Durski earning 4A All-Northern Nevada honors at Spanish Springs High.
"Boily has the best breaking ball on our staff, but needs to command his fastball to join the rotation," Humberger said. "McPeak showed in the fall that he can throw strikes in any situation, which will put him in the mix for important innings. Hankard made huge strides this fall, while Durski has one of the better change ups on the team and is a pure strike thrower."
Rounding out the staff are three true freshmen –
Jaden Trueblood from Spanish Springs High in Nevada,
Nat Nimmer from Shorewood High in Washington and local product
Jack Stewart of Centennial High.
"Trueblood has one of the better fastballs on the team," Humberger said. "Nimmer is a 6-foot-4 freshman that made some mechanical adjustments this fall and kept getting better. Stewart showed good mound presence in the fall and the ability to throw strikes. I look forward to watch this entire staff continue to develop."
The Coyotes open the 2021 season in Arizona at the Coach Calderone Invitational, meeting Arizona Christian next Wednesday in Phoenix.
