Vinnie Cammarano
Key Points
Apopka baseball is using its fall schedule to build chemistry, evaluate players and prepare a roster that will look much different when the spring season arrives.
The Blue Darters lost 11 varsity seniors to graduation and return just four players from last season’s varsity team: seniors Easton DeClue, Ethan DeClue, Aiden Rieli and Collin Van Fleet.
With so many new faces, second-year head coach Scott Garland is using the fall as an extended evaluation period. Apopka has its largest fall schedule yet, with 22 games scheduled through its Blue vs. White series Nov. 4 and 5.
Garland said entering a season with nearly an entirely new roster makes building chemistry especially important. The expanded schedule also gives the Blue Darters an opportunity to collect statistics and evaluate players before the spring season begins.
Four players who spent time around last year’s varsity team are expected to take on larger roles this season. Junior outfielder Jorge Santiago, sophomore pitcher/first baseman Lukas Wilson, sophomore catcher/first baseman Skyler Lamb and junior outfielder Tyler Hall saw limited varsity playing time last season and are now working toward starting roles.
The four are using the fall schedule to improve their production at the plate, including their batting averages and on-base percentages, as they compete for larger roles on the roster.
Apopka’s latest test came Thursday, Sept. 24, against St. Cloud, a 10-5 loss that still provided Garland with encouragement. Through four fall games, he felt the Blue Darters showed their most promise yet.
Rather than treating the fall schedule strictly as a series of games, Garland is approaching it more like spring training.
Players are being tested at different positions as the coaching staff evaluates where they can best fit on the spring roster. Garland is also giving each pitcher an opportunity to throw an inning during games, regardless of how that inning goes.
The approach allows Apopka to gather information on its young roster while giving players experience in situations they may encounter during the regular season.
The Blue Darters were scheduled to continue their fall schedule at home at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, against West Orange. Apopka is also scheduled to play a neutral-site game at UCF on Oct. 7 before wrapping up its fall schedule with the Blue vs. White series Nov. 4 and 5.