Coming off of a 2023 season in which Wright City baseball finished 15-8, coach Cody Bair expects the 2024 season to bring new challenges with a lot of new faces. 

“My expectations of the returners is that they exhibit leadership and show resilience during tough times," said Bair. “With many new contributors to the team we will need them to maintain their composure and help the team grow and mature through the season so that we are playing our best at the end of the year.”

Among the key returning players for the Wildcats are catcher Bryce Williams, first baseman Jake Orf, shortstop Zach Rodriguez, pitcher and utility player Micah Boeckman, and outfielder Duan McRoberts. Each of these returning players offers something positive to the team with high expectations, noted Bair. 

“Bryce is an All State catcher that plays great defense and is a consistent hitter. Bryce also demonstrates excellent leadership qualities,” he said. “My expectations of him are to keep the running game in check and support the pitching staff.”

Orf, meanwhile, is a first-team all conference player that is a threat both offensively and defensively. 

“For a junior, Jake shows great command in the batter's box and also plays at a high level defensively,” said Bair. “My expectations are that Jake will produce at the plate and his defense will provide confidence to the infield to play loose.”

Rodriguez will also be looked at as a valuable player and leader.

“My expectations are that Zach provides quality at bats and leads the team on the field,” said Bair.

The Wildcats coach is hopeful that Boeckman can be a valuable asset in multiple ways. 

“My expectations are that Micah will give us a chance to beat anyone whenever he takes the mound as he is very competitive,” said Bair. “He provides us with flexibility in the field as he is a versatile player.  Micah also takes high quality at bats and puts a lot of pressure on defenses with his speed.”

McRoberts, also an All-State player, can provide both speed and some power to the offense. 

“Duan is an All-State outfielder who is an elite athlete that tracks down everything in the outfield,” noted Bair. “He has a little bit of pop in his bat, and uses his legs to create chaos on the basepaths.”

Bair added that there are no days off this season, and he expects his team to improve as the season progresses. 

“The expectations for the team in general is to improve every day. They need to compete in every game by executing fundamentals,” he said. “Every game for us is important as each team we face will present a unique challenge and we can not afford to overlook any of our opponents”