Baseball | 11/5/2024 10:23:00 PM

The 2024 Trailblazer Navy/Red World Series Draft is in the books and it was a doozy. The Red Team Captains:  Dylan Hawkes, Ethan He, and Hunter Katschke were victorious in the Catch Phrase Challenge, but deferred the first pick in the draft. 
 
With that move the Navy Captains:  Aaron Perez, Ethan Royal, and Jacob Taggart selected first and chose Ryan Kreopel, a sophomore righthanded pitcher/infielder from Poway, Calif.  Kroepel has had a solid fall with the bat and his right arm. Ryan wraps up the fall with a gaudy batting average and a minute ERA.  
 
Red then countered with their first two selections of outfielder Aden Dance (junior from Bonny Lake, Wash.) and infielder Kyle McDaniel (sophomore from Parhump, Nev.).  Dance has lit it up this fall, leading the Trailblazers in multiple offensive stats and playing a fearless centerfield.  McDaniel comes off a freshman campaign that saw him bat .271 with 17 extra base hits in '24.  
 
When asked about their first picks, Red Co-Captain Hunter Katschke said, "having McDaniel and Dance will be a game changer." 
 
While Navy Co-Captain Jacob Taggart was asked about Ryan Kroepel he stated "Getting 'Crepe' first pick was a no brainer since he has been electric at the plate and can pitch as well."  
 
Fun fact, Ethan He, Red Co-Captain, is one of only two players to ever be a first-round pick in back-to-back years.
 
With the first round completed, the Captain's had a chance to reflect on their first round picks.  
 
"We got the guys we wanted. We are feeling really confident." said Co-Captains Aaron Perez and Ethan Royal.  
 
"Consistency will win this series and everything went as we expected," stated Co-Captains Ethan He and Dylan Hawkes.  
 
While in year's past, there have been some depth concerns, this year the draft was as deep as it has ever been.  "Each team clearly had a plan and executed that plan.  It is obvious how much each team values defense with their early picks," stated World Series commissioner Chris Pfatenhauer.
         
Navy had the chance to pick two players in the second round and cashed in with two solid picks, both infielders:  junior infielder from West Linn, Oregon Kace Naone and sophomore shortstop from St George, Utah Petey Soto Jr.  
 
Naone arrives on campus after winning an NWAC Championship with Linn Benton College in 2024 and is a versatile player, with a little sock in the bat.  
 
Soto played shortstop as a freshman last year for the Trailblazer and posted a .258 batting average and a .960 fielding percentage.  
 
"We have a solid infield and some tough outs at the plate." – Navy Staff.  
 
The Red squad countered by adding two very good players, Ty Johnsen (Junior from Pleasant Grove, Utah) and Gavin Glasgow (Junior from Little Rock, Ark).  
 
Pfatenhauer on the Red picks -- "Johnsen and Glasgow bring a ton of maturity to the squad, Great Picks!"  Johnsen has had a solid fall after an impressive 2024 at SLCC.  While Glasgow has been no stranger to success either, after he posted a .313 career average with 88 RBI at Crowder CC.
         
As the captains built their rosters through night one of the draft, it was clear that each team had their priorities.  
 
Red went heavy on arms, drafting four pitchers in their last six picks.  
 
Meanwhile Navy continued to stack up the bats, finishing night one taking seven hitters within their first 10 picks. Andrew Pyle and Eliot Jones were the 4^th and 5^th picks for Red and they are both solid additions. 
 
Pyle is a defense-first catcher that handles the bat well.  Jones had a breakout 2024 at College of Southern Idaho and puts together great at-bats. 
 
In the fourth round, Red countered with an arm and a banger in sophomore right hander Easton Brooks (Herriman, Utah) and outfielder Finnegan Stewart (Anaheim Hills, Calif.).  Brooks red-shirted in 2024, but is making a strong case to be a weekend starter this fall.  And Stewart looks to be the real deal at the plate. "I really like what these guys have done, adding power bats and high leverage arms." – Pfatenhauer stated. 
 
Navy turned their attention to the mound with their last four picks of night one, selecting righties Dakota Gray, Ryan Martinez, Jaxson Bell, and lefty Brock Roundy.  Gray is a little guy with a big arm and is making a push for the closer roll.  
 
Martinez is a transfer from, Pacific, where he led the Tigers in appearance.  Bell is a freshman from Vista, Calif., that has some real upside. Roundy, who hails from southern Utah, comes off an All-League sophomore year at Clark College and hopes to pitch big innings in front of his home crow this spring. 
 
Red wrapped up night one with four solid picks. On the mound they added junior right hander Jonah Marshall, who has inserted himself as a viable weekend option for the Trailblazers this fall.  
 
Aaron Morris was selected next and he comes off of a freshman campaign that saw him lead the Trailblazers in appearances. Will Dart is an athletic freshman that can play all three infield spots.  And Grady Daniels from Nampa, Idaho, comes to the "Valley of the Gods" after a stalwart high school career at Skyview High School.
 
"You would have to say that Navy has the advantage right now from a pitching standpoint, but there is a long way to go still.  Depth and competitiveness will be the biggest and final determining factor," stated Pfatenhauer.  
 
Game one of the World Series is Tuesday, November 12 at 4:37 p.m., at Bruce Hurst Field.  Game two will take place on Wednesday, November 13 at 4:37 p.m., and the Series wraps up on Thursday, November 14 at 4:37 p.m.