A couple of late Fall baseball signings result in two more former 2A Trenton players moving on to the next level. Garrett Puyear (2014), who was a pitcher and shortstop for Trenton and had previously redshirted at Vernon College, was offered a scholarship to play at Crowley’s Ridge College in Paragould, Arkansas. He will join former Trenton battery mate, Cody Lambright (2014) who is a catcher at Crowleys Ridge. In a short notice, “pack your bags signing”, former Trenton pitcher/1st baseman, Ben Minter (2015), was offered a spot at Rainy River Community College in International Falls, Minnesota. Ben was a full-time student at Grayson Junior College when he received the offer to play baseball again. Ben was offered on Monday, January 4 and left for Minnesota on January 6th.
These two signings make 8 players from Trenton who have gone on to play at the next level in the last 3 years. I asked Coach Cranford a few months back about his role in assisting Bryce Brakebill (2015) get an offer from McPherson College, in Manhatten, KS. Coach Cranford, who is in his 2nd year at Trenton, stated it wasn’t his role to decide which kids moved on to the next level. It was his job to push out information on all his players and let the next level decide who they want. It appears this theory is working as Rainy River Community College wasn’t on Ben’s radar.
The lesson here is there are opportunities out there for all baseball players – regardless of classification. It takes some work on behalf of players and coaches to find that opportunity. It takes some risk to move 18 hours away from home as Ben has done. If playing at the next level is the dream, work to find the opportunity.
Trenton Players to sign in the last 3 years.
|
Class of |
Player | College |
Head Coach |
| 2013 | Dillon McCarley | Mountain View CC then Vernon Junior College |
Josh Weger |
| 2013 | Brandon Stone | Mountain View CC then Vernon Junior College |
Josh Weger |
| 2013 | Slater Stone | Mountain View CC then Vernon Junior College |
Josh Weger |
| 2014 | Bailey Burks | Paris JC then Southeast Oklahoma State Univ |
Bret Cranford |
| 2014 | Cody Lambright | Crowleys Ridge College |
Bret Cranford |
| 2014 | Garrett Puyear | Vernon Junior College then Crowleys Ridge College |
Bret Cranford |
| 2015 | Bryce Brakebill | McPherson College |
Bret Cranford |
| 2015 | Ben Minter | Rainy River Community College |
Bret Cranford |
