An Inside Look at the 2023 Hoptown Hoppers Roster

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The Hoptown Hoppers begin Ohio Valley League play Thursday as they host the Bowling Green Pistons at Christian County’s Colonel Field. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Bowling Green but the Pistons announced field availability issues Wednesday that prompted the move.

Many of the Hoppers began arriving late last week with some delayed in coming to Hopkinsville because their college seasons are still going on.

E.J. Davarie will be the manager of the 2023 Hoppers. He is an assistant coach at the University of Indianapolis and will be delayed in coming to Hopkinsville for a few days while the Greyhounds play in the NCAA Division III Tournament in North Carolina.

Prior to Indianapolis, Devarie had coaching stops at Keystone College and Marian University. He also coached in the Cape Cod League in 2021.

There are several players on the 2023 Hopper roster from Keystone, Marian, and Indianapolis as well as some players who played high school in Hopkinsville.

A lot of coaches send players to summer league teams to get them at-bats, get them used to playing a new position, or just get some innings in. Colleges can pull players at any time or limit the number of games or innings they pitch with the Hoppers.

The Hoppers will play their home games at Christian County High School.

Here is a look at the 2023 Hoptown Hoppers roster –

PITCHERS

Jacob Dilday returns to the Hoppers after posting a 2-2 record with 29 strikeouts in 22 innings. The former Hopkinsville High Tiger appeared in eight games for Rend Lake College in 2023 with a 5.79 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 14 innings.

Tim Cansler, one of three left-handed pitchers on the roster, also played at Hopkinsville High School. He was a member of Rend Lake’s staff this spring.

Chase Gruno is another returning Hopper from 2022. He made 18 appearances last year with a 3-3 record and five saves, tied for fourth most in Hopper single-season history. He is a sophomore at Saginaw Valley State where he was 2-3 with one save and a 4.26 ERA this spring.

Will Isom is a freshman at Marian University in Indianapolis. He was 1-1 in four games. Opponents hit just .182 off of him.

Jaxon McTyre is a freshman at Eastern Oklahoma State College. He was 0-2 with a save and a 3.86 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched.

McTyre’s teammate from Eastern OK State, Baylen White, was 2-2 with 30 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched. He was 6-0 as a freshman

Trent Youngeberg comes to the Hoppers from Muskingum University, the alma mater of former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn. Youngeberg appeared in five games this spring, striking out six batters in six innings pitched.

Jack Jennings is a Nashville native that made two appearances for Hanover College this spring. He appeared in 14 games in 2022.

John Girard is a lefty from Richmond, Kentucky where he played high school baseball at Madison Central. He appeared in six games for Hanover.

Brady Ginaven is a 6-5 right-hander from Indiana State University who was all-conference in high school.

Ethan Davis appeared in five games for Marian University with six strikeouts in six innings pitched.

Dylan Eaton and Jack McGuire come to the Hoppers from Illinois College. Eaton was 1-4 with 27 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched, while McGuire is a left-hander who was 2-1 in six starts and allowed only one home run in 29 innings pitched. For his college career, he has struck out 67 batters in 61 innings.

Cannon Anthony-Hinkle is a 6-3 redshirt freshman from Hillsborough Community College.

Southwestern Mississippi Community College will be sending two pitchers to Hopkinsville. Brycen Smith was 2-5 with 39 strikeouts this spring. Myles Green was 2-4 with two saves and fanned 22 in 33 innings pitched.

Cody Jones is a 6-5 righty from Indianapolis who did not appear in any games this spring.

Caden Wilburn is the third lefty on the roster and a teammate of Jones at Indianapolis.

Francisco Paradis was 5-5 in 11 starts for Southeastern Illinois College. He struck out 54 in 56 innings pitched.

Landon Cline also attends SE Illinois. He was 2-2 in 14 relief appearances with 22 strikeouts in 23 innings. Cline attended Madisonville-North Hopkins High School. His father Marty is a former basketball coach at University Heights Academy.

INFIELDERS

Gavin Baxter hit .360 in 14 games for the Hoppers in 2022. The Clarksville native attends Lee University and hit .297 in 17 games as a redshirt freshman.

Sam Perkins attended Male High School in Louisville. He attends Hanover College where he hit .291 as a freshman and .265 as a sophomore. He upped his fielding percentage from .937 as a freshman to .987 in his sophomore season.

Stephen Bell saw eight at-bats for Alderson Broaddus University in the spring. Bell can play first base and the outfield.

Carter Hood hit .298 for Southeastern Illinois College in 2023. He had 16 doubles and drove in 29 runs.

John Kiebler also plays for Southeastern Illinois College. He batted .319 with an on-base percentage of .421.

OUTFIELDERS

Robert Estrada played in 39 games for Keystone College in 2023, hitting .378 with four home runs and 15 stolen bases. He had an on-base percentage of .503.

Manuel Villalobos is an outfielder and catcher at Alderson Broaddas University in West Virginia.

Dom Oliverio announced Wednesday he was entering the transfer portal after one season at Indiana State University. Oliverio can also play third base.

Mac Biggs is an outfielder and first baseman. The 6-4 sophomore got four at-bats for Missouri Western State this spring.

Kaito Muto moved to Bowling Green from New York before his senior season in high school. He attended Foundation Christian School, which did not offer baseball. He played travel ball with a Nashville-based team and signed with Vanderbilt University.

Luis Vergara returns to the Hoppers where he hit 10 home runs – third most in Hopper history. He batted .347 with 34 RBI and provided the Hoppers with punch in the lineup in 2023. He played in 14 games for Indianapolis this spring.

Elijah Underhill is the only player on the Hoppers roster right out of high school. The Christian County High School graduate has signed with Eastern Kentucky University. He set the Christian County career record for home runs in 2023 where he had eight home runs and drove in 28. He batted .430 with 34 stolen bases in 37 attempts. On the mound, he struck out 115 in 66 innings with a 2.65 ERA.

CATCHERS

Luis Villalba hit .308 in 15 games for Keystone College after transferring from Monroe College in the Bronx, New York.

Fred Fernandez returns to the Hoppers after a spring at Olney Central College that saw him bat .247 with a home run and 15 RBI.

Reid Douglas had nine extra-base hits for Hanover College this spring and batted .210.

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