2018 Team Preview: Clever Blue Jays
January 12, 2018
preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.
Team: Clever HS
Nickname: Blue Jays
Class: Class 3
Conference: Southwest Central League
Head Coach: Justin Snider
Years as head coach at school: 6
Twitter Handle: @Clever_Baseball
2017 Overall Record: 10-11
2017 Conference Record: 3-3 (4th Place)
2017 Post Season Finish: Lost in opening round of districts
Number of Returning Starters/Pitchers: 3
Number of Returning Starters/Position Players: 9
Players with 2017 Post Season Honors
Spencer Flatt, UT, 2017, Honorable Mention All-State
Colby Elrod, OF, 2018, Honorable Mention All-State
Calin Springer, OF, 2018, 1st Team All-District
Tyler Deepe, RHP, 2018, 2nd Team All-District
Logan Peebles, C, 2019, 2nd Team All-District
Nathan King, SS, 2019, Honorable Mention All-Conference
Trace Comer, OF, 2019, Honorable Mention All-Conference
Hunter Eutlser, RHP, 2019, Honorable Mention All-Conference
Players to Watch
Quinn Gundelfinger, SS, 2021
Caden Sims, RHP/1B, 2020
Jake Twigg, RHP/IF, 2021
Tanner Bradshaw, UT/C, 2021
Sean Gilmore, OF/2B, 2021
Blaze Akins, UT, 2020
Season Outlook
Clever finished 10-11 last season, losing six games after having a lead in the sixth or seventh innings. The Blue Jays are ready to build on those experiences and returning several tested players from a season ago. So far, things look bright for the Blue Jays after finishing 16-5 in the fall. Clever will count on the return of their top arm and middle-of-the-order bat, Tyler Deepe, who missed the fall and finished with 41 innings pitched in 2017. Junior catcher Logan Peebles has been the starting catcher since his freshman season and shows daily improvement. As one of the top catchers in the area, Peebles will have a huge impact offensively and defensively. Seniors Colby Elrod and Calin Springer will anchor down the the outfield, and both will provide some juice in the order. Junior CF Trace Comer will patrol the middle and showed the ability to run down ball gap-to-gap. Also watch for junior RHP Hunter Eutlser to step up and be the number one in the rotation after a dominating spring and fall. Clever will be strong up the middle with junior SS Nathan King and freshman Quinn Gundelfinger. The duo turned more double plays in the fall than in the past two season combined. With Peebles behind the plate, Gundelfinger and King in the middle infield and Comer in centerfield, the Blue Jays will be very solid defensively. They will also have an impressive group of freshman and sophomores. This group will add depth at every position, including the mound. Look for this group to push the returning players and keep the program strong for the next several years.
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