| Show Baseball plans to be contenders Josh Collins The Globe Despite struggling through a couple couple couple cou cou- of preseason tournaments baseball head coach Dave Nelson is unfazed The team is going to be there at atthe atthe atthe the end competing for the championship championship championship champi champi- declared Nelson The baseball team has only one returning starter this year Mac Nelson and has an astonishing 18 freshmen Despite the large number of youngsters Coach Nelson is convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced that his team will be competitors competitors competitors com com- all the way There is a long learning curve and were we're a young team said Nelson However being a young team is isone isone isone one of the things that Coach Nelson is most excited about and he mentioned mentioned mentioned men men- several players that he expects to emerge as leaders this season Mac Nelson is the only one returning that started for me pretty much every game last season Travis Barnett had two saves in our tournament tournament tournament ment and helped secure our two wins in the last tournament Nelson said Coach Nelson also mentioned Ryder Ol Olsen en a transfer from the University of Utah as another possible possible possible ble leader Some of the veteran players like Ryder should provide some good leadership Several players on the team have already be been n draft drafted d int into the pros ri ih already signed Division f 1 schools I The draft is like a double edged sword On one hand it gives us more quality players said Nelson The draft allows players to sign with us for one year and then get drafted again If they go to a D l school then they're stuck at that school for three years before they can be drafted drafted drafted draft draft- ed again The draft gives the Bruins a competitive competitive competitive com com- edge against in state rivals such as Dixie State tate a year four-year college col cola lege On uOn the other hand continued Nelson Those players that get drafted arc are only with us for forone one year We mold them and work with them and then we lose them at the end of the year If we could keep them for two years we could have a really solid program Baseball players can use the draft to their advantage by playing for junior colleges like because they can work on their skills and then enter the pros after only one year This lessens the risk of injury and allows the pro teams to develop the athletes' athletes talent any way the team wants to One player to watch out for this season is John Holdzkom a pitcher with a fastball listed at around 96 mph Coach Nelson said John was clocked around 98 mph earlier this week Holdzkom was drafted by bythe bythe bythe the Seattle Mariners in the round last year Holdzkom is listed as one of the best pitching prospects in the nation Coach Nelson and his staff know that with a young team they will struggle early on We know that were we're going to make ll mistakes stakes and lose early but that's all part of the theM 1 e M Tn I The Th Bruins Brums Baseball team is gearing up hp t to start the regular regu ls selar lm m son on F Feb b. b 17 at home against Southern Idaho |
