Coach Nate Hunt led the Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets baseball team to a 20-5 season, and his success at the helm led him to being named OCC Coach of the Year for 2024.
Hunt’s squad went to the District Semifinals of the Division 1 Central 4 baseball tournament. They went 12-2 in league play to edge out Wooster for the OCC title.
“The OCC was a very competitive league that forced our team to be on our A game every conference game,” he said. “Being named coach of the year is a very broad title to truly what goes into this. Coach Franz, Coach White, Coach Laslo, Coach Hedrick, and Coach Clinger are just as much a part of that title as I am.”
Coach Hunt said he wanted to surround the program and players with great men who had knowledge and love for the game, and be able to pour that into the players. The coaching staff did just that, he said, and he thinks it rubbed off not only on this team, but the program as a whole.
“From a program standpoint, I think this gives us a lot of confidence and energy moving into the off-season and then into the pre-season,” Hunt said. “We have a saying on our shirts: ‘Team 75.’ Team 75 represents the legacy and culture needed to be built. Team 76 is going to carry on and build upon what Team 75 created.”
Hunt is looking forward to next year, as the team certainly loses some key elements, but also brings back 13 starters. Players to look out for next season include senior pitchers Kayden Packard (second team All-District); Jagger Dohn; Cam Firebaugh; Ethan Yost and Carter Castleman. Catcher Ezra Kurek, who was first team All-District and All-Ohio, and an Eastern Michigan commit, will return for his senior year. The team also returns senior Zac Clow at middle infield.
Packard will also be playing third, while seniors Isiah Columber and Caden Thiebert will roam the outfield. Yost and fellow senior Hayden Higgins will be utility players.
“We have a very special group for 2025 and I think going into the LCL with an experienced team is exciting for Mount Vernon Baseball,” Hunt said.
