On Friday, March 28, the baseball team competed against Mount Michael high school. Sophomore Max Yager made his varsity debut, pitching 5.1 innings with 66% being strikes.
“He’s worked really hard to put himself in his current position,” head baseball coach Anthony Dunn said. “He trusted that and went out and did well.”
Getting to his current pitching skills was not easy; it took hard work. In the off season, Yager played in the baseball summer league and hustled during winter conditioning. He greatly improved his pitching skills, which translated into the school season.
“This off season, he really found the zone and started throwing a lot of strikes,” Dunn said. “He matched his skill level with a mindset of, ‘I’m going to attack the strike zone’.”
Yager’s ambition does not go unnoticed by his fellow teammates. His positive attitude motivates others, and greatly translates to his athletic performance.
“[Max] is the hardest worker in the weight room by far,” teammate Jack Settles said. “He always gives 110% at practice; it’s contagious.”
A varsity start is exciting, but is also extremely nerve racking. It is important to remain composed during big moments, especially in sports, to prevent inhibiting your performance. However, this was not an issue for Yager.
“Max exudes that calm and cool behavior when he is pitching,” pitching coach Jacob Rapp said. “That [behavior] is what contributed to his success during his first varsity start this spring.”
Yager’s early success in the season leaves coaches optimistic about what more is to come from him.
