Fresh off a district championship last season, the Houston Tigers baseball team is gearing up for another competitive year under the leadership of longtime head coach Brent Hall. Now entering his 28th season, Hall boasts an impressive career record of 378-237 and continues to focus on daily improvement and player development.
The Tigers finished last season with a 14-9 overall record, including a 3-4 mark in the South Central Association (SCA) conference. Their season was highlighted by a dramatic 1-0 victory over Thayer in the district championship game. However, the Tigers’ postseason run ended with a 5-2 loss to Licking in the following round.
Houston looks to reload after graduating a large group of experienced starters, including Aiden Kelly, Wyatt Hughes, Stone Jackson, Gage Yardley, Grayson Mitchell, Keaton Goetz, Sheldon Starr and Jake Allen. Despite those losses, Hall remains optimistic about the talent returning and the players stepping into larger roles.
Leading the way is senior Shaun Buck, a four-year starter who will be the team’s ace on the mound and the most experienced player on the roster. Buck posted a 1.88 ERA in 41 innings in 2024.
“Shaun is a great template and a servant to his team,” Hall said. “He will be our ace on the mound and the player with the most experience.”
Another returning starter is junior Aaden Scantlin, who saw time last season and is expected to play a bigger role this year. Scantlin is expected to pitch and play middle infield.
Hall also highlighted several other players to watch, including seniors John Jordan, Logan Dixon, Kolby Sisco and Caiden Root, as well as sophomores Evan Edwards, Ethan Carter and Aaron McCarthy.
“John, Logan, Kolby and Caiden have been in the program for three years and would’ve been good enough to play on a lot of teams on our schedule,” Hall said. “They have waited their turn to play at the varsity level.”
Hall praised the work ethic and offseason progress of Edwards, Carter and McCarthy, noting their potential to make an impact.
When asked about the upcoming schedule, Hall expressed enthusiasm for the entire slate of games, especially conference matchups and eventual district opponents.
“To be honest, I’m excited for all of them,” he said. “The conference games are always big, and district opponents will be as well once assignments come out.”
For Hall, the goal remains consistent: focus on daily improvement and help his players reach their full potential.
“For us and any team I coach, I want to get better every day and show significant improvement over the year,” Hall said. “Whatever this team’s best is, that’s what I want to strive for — play at the highest level that these kids are capable of.”
With a mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent, the Tigers are poised to compete as they seek another deep postseason run under Hall’s guidance.
The Tigers play a jamboree against Cabool and Plato at 4 and 6 p.m. today (March 17) at Tiger Field and play their first games on Friday (March 21) against Mexico, Missouri and Halfway as part of the Champs Fitness Wood Bat tournament. On Saturday, they’ll face St. Pius X and Winona.
Roster
Senior (6)
Kolby Sisco
John Jordan
Logan Dixon
Shaun Buck
Caiden Root
Owen Wells
Junior (3)
Aaden Scantlin
Elliot Greiner
Ryan Painter
Sophomore (9)
Ethan Carter
Evan Edwards
Cason Woosley
Nate Jadwin
Aaron McCarthy
Kyson Brede
Evan Harris
Oliver Greiner
George Smith
Freshman (4)
Jackson Morgan
Gage Smith
Chris Harris
Ryan Haslett