PLATTE CITY – Two years ago, the Platte County baseball team brought home the first state title in two decades and the Pirates want to get back to that level of play.
Platte County senior Brayden Carter is set to lead the deep pitching corps this season.
Coming off a season with 18 wins and 19 losses, Platte County looks a bit different with some familiar faces as well. The Pirates will lean on four seniors – Devin Wassmann, Brayden Carter, Brian Chandler and Isaiah Smith – who were starters a season ago.
“We’re an inexperienced, but eager team,” Platte County head baseball coach John Sipes said. “There are a lot of new faces to the program, but a lot of eager faces to get back to where we were two years ago. The energy has been great for the first few weeks of practice and everyone is here for each other.”
After only allowing right over three runs a game in 2021 and 2022, the Pirates let up 5.7 runs a game last season and are looking to improve that. Dayton Doll and Brennan McLaughlin saw some time in the infield last year and are set to be in the starting lineup again.
“Our defense will be the key to the team’s success, we will need to be on our A-game and make the routine plays. With errors come more pitches thrown by our pitchers, which means that they can’t go as long as we like,” Sipes said.
Platte County will rely heavily on the pitchers. Ahead of the spring, there are at least six guys – with the chance of eight – who are expected to share some time on the mound.
“Our pitching staff will be led by Brayden Carter, followed by Isaiah Smith, Rocco Marriott and Brennan McLaughlin. It will be rounded out by Wes Chiddix and Owen Rawlings,” Sipes said.
The Pirates have a crowded group of upperclassmen, such as senior catcher Tyler Stearns, looking to contribute to varsity for the first time in their careers this season. The junior class has some depth with outfielders Pat McCool and Bronson Ryan, along with Taylor Stambersky, Dalton Carlson and Tyler Stearns – who are infielders.
“There are a couple of hitters in our lineup that should have a great spring, or at least the potential to do something great. Our lineup should be pretty salty,” Sipes said.