Oak Ridge High School baseball season under way
The Message from Last Season: One of the most exciting Oak Ridge High School baseball seasons in memory came to an end for the 22-14 'Cats in the Region 2 Tournament in 2023. ORHS beat Hardin Valley Academy (HVA) to make a potential championship game with eventual state champion Farragut, but then lost that game, followed by a must-win game against eventual state runner-up HVA. Although the losses were devastating because of just how painfully close the team got to a state tournament berth, Coach Travis Free found a focus point to take into this year’s campaign: “Obviously, advancing to the second round of the playoffs and making it to the last game of the Region to advance to the Sectional round - that was big. That experience last year will have us ready for this coming season - there’s just no substitute for having the experience of being in those types of games, and now they believe that we can keep going and take the next step.” For Free and Ridge Baseball, that’s the message for this season: what does it take to continually put yourself in the position to win the District, the Region, the State?
Something New: Free hired a new pitching coach, Jeremiah Ball, whom he calls “a huge addition to our program.” The guys are also playing a heavy travel schedule so that they are seasoned and ready for the Region Tournament, which will be on the road for the 'Cats this year. Top competition at Gulf Shores and Dobyns-Bennett should provide a crucial series of early tests.
Tentative Lineup: Free said he has “so many good players at each position that they’re just going to have to prove themselves on offense” to get the starting nod - a great problem to have. Here’s a look at the depth chart with some notes on notable returners:
First base: Kam “Cheeto” Welch, sophomore, and Peyton Witter, junior - Both will pitch, so Welch will share first base with Kingston transfer Witter.
Second base: Noah Wood and Parker Free, freshmen, and Carson Feagan, sophomore - Coach Free’s son looks like a starter early on.
Shortstop: Caden Black - Senior two-time all-stater. Hit .404 with 42 hits last year, along with three home runs, 50 runs, and 19 runs batted in (RBI). The single-season stolen base (SB) record holder (52 in 2022), he had 37 SB last year. The Johnson University signee is a legit stud.
Third base: Mikee Teasley, sophomore, An all-arounder, the sophomore hit .388 last year with 40 hits, 24 RBI, and 27 runs. He’s surprisingly quick (22 SB). He’s also the top returning pitcher and has a mean breaking ball.
Left field: Izzy Mitchell, senior, Cam Britton and Titus Fedders, sophomores - Mitchell is quick and scored 18 runs with 12 SB last year.
Center field: Warren East, freshman, and Richie Ferreira, junior - The freshman likely gets the nod, with Ferreira in right.
Right field: Richie Ferreira, junior - Ferreira has a cannon of an arm. Hit .297 last year with 33 hits, 25 RBI, 16 runs. He’s another with surprising wheels (10 SB).
Catcher: Khyren Welch, senior, and Parker Free, freshman - Welch is a rock behind the plate and has a good arm.
Free isn’t the kind of guy who uses superlatives often, but he keeps coming back to them with this roster, emphasizing that he has more depth and talent than he’s had in his tenure at Oak Ridge. It’s a young group (25 are underclassmen), but led by an experienced core; the pieces for another run toward the state tournament are there. He’s challenged the guys to reach for the next rung on the ladder, though: what are they going to do to create a program that challenges for titles every single year?
Pitching Rotation: Free calls this staff “the deepest, most diverse group of pitchers I’ve had here at Oak Ridge.” With a mix of lefties, righties, heaters, side-arms, matchup arms, and depth, the pitching staff looks like a huge strength for this season. Teasley brings in a 7-1 record from his outstanding freshman campaign and is clearly the top pitcher in the rotation. He has a fine fastball, but a remarkable breaking ball with a ton of movement. Look for Kam Welch, John Ulreich, Alex Franklin, Witter, and Feagan to flesh out the starting rotation. Coming in relief you may see Ferreira, Cy Stephens, Black, Tryce Sharpe, and catcher Khyren Welch.
Leadership: Who else? All-State shortstop Caden Black is The Guy. A quiet, consistent force on the diamond, Caden brings a strong glove and great hitting and is a threat every time he gets on base because of his speed and base running. He’s grown in the weightroom over the offseason in more ways than one: he’s a lot stronger, as evidenced by a 235-pound power clean, and he’s much more muscular. He has the fitness of a college ballplayer.
Season Outlook: Free has sought out quality opponents for the 2024 season to prep the team for the postseason. Along with an early-season trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, the 'Cats will travel to perennial power Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett and have scheduled District 4 foes Farragut and HVA. District 3 competition looks like years past, with Oak Ridge, Powell, and Central likely fighting for the top spots. From District 4, look for perennial favorites Farragut and HVA, along with Bearden. This looks like the group of teams who will vie for spots in the sub-state.
Allen Etheridge is the Oak Ridge High School assistant athletic director and sports information director.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Oak Ridge High School baseball season under way
