By Charles Dee
Hays Rebel baseball coach, David Null, after directing his Rebs to back-to-back regional semi-final appearances, will look to a predominately new cast to match the success of his first two Rebel campaigns.
The Rebs’ sterling defense of the past two seasons, featuring a pair of three-year starters and five other two-year guys, returns junior centerfielder Mike Gonzalez, senior Athen Shultz and senior shortstop David Riojas as the only three with significant playing time. The cupboard, however, is not bare. As Null explained, the Rebels’ perennially successful JV program offers plenty of reason for optimism as “the next men up” seek to continue the Rebel baseball tradition. In the infield, power hitting junior, Tyler Wilson, will most likely take over at second, senior letterman Reid Johnson will man first and a trio of prospects, transfer Nick Luella, junior Bryce Sims and junior Brandon Hunter will battle for the hot corner. Sophomore, Cole Irby and junior, Ryan Manley will handle the catching chores and a foursome of speedsters, Gonzalez, Shultz, senior Trevor McCulley and junior, Josh Barnett, will roam the outfield.
