The new-look Joplin Outlaws are ready to get the season underway
Not only are the Joplin Outlaws under new ownership, they have a new brand, a new league and a new manager for the upcoming 2024 season.
While there is so much new, the excitement is at an all-time high.
“Joplin already has a well-established fan base,” Outlaws manager Brian Daly said. “Everything is just top notch and done professionally, which is what we love. It’s not only a good opportunity for me, but for the other coaches and players as well. I think we have done a pretty good job of constructing the roster, Nick (Wisenborn, General Manager) and I, and … I think it’s going to be a good product and one Joplin can really be proud of.”
After spending years in the MINK League, the Outlaws are now in the Mid-America League. The MAL is made up of the Abilene (Texas) Flying Bison, Fort Smith (Arkansas) Marshals, Piney Woods (White Oak, Texas) Timberhogs, Sherman (Texas) Shadow Cats and the Texarkana (Texas) Rhinos.
“We’re ready, but we’re kind of a skeleton crew right now,” Daly said. “We’re still waiting on guys who are in conference tournaments, regional and super regional tournaments. Knowing we are as strong as we are today, and knowing how strong we’re going to be fully loaded when those guys come in, we’re really excited and expect to win a lot of ball games.”
The Joplin roster consists of 28 players (eight pitchers and 20 position players), with five of the Outlaws from the local area—Webb City’s Kenley Hood (INF, Highland CC), Columbus’ Landin Midgette (INF, Coffeyville CC), Carl Junction’s Lucas Vanlanduit (P, Pittsburgh State), Galena’s Brett Sarwinski (OF, Pittsburg State), and Joplin’s Kohl Cooper (P, Fort Scott CC).
The rest of the roster includes:
Cole Hill (INF) ; Hometown: Owasso, OK; School: Northwestern State
Jackson Purcell (OF); Hometown: Moses Lake, WA; School: University of Central Arkansas
Gabe Russel (1B/OF); Hometown: Owasso OK; School: Rogers State University
Evan Vienhage (INF) ; Hometown: Springfield, MO; School: Central Missouri University
Cael McCarville (3B/OF) ; Hometown: Springfield, MO; School: Fort Scott Community College
Will Newberry (P); Hometown: Lexington, KY; School: University of Missouri-St. Louis
Mason Wyant (P); Hometown: Allerton, Il; School: Blackburn College
Eric Bacon (OF); Hometown: Emory, TX; School: Coffeyville Community College
Shu Kitagawa (OF); Hometown: Hokkaido, Japan; Last Pro Team: Ibaraki Astro Planets (Japan)
Ravaughn Morgan (OF); Hometown: Austin, TX; School: Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Xavier Fosbenner (P); Hometown: Morristown, TN; School: Missouri Baptist University
Brian Wamsher (P); Hometown: Springfield, Mo.; School: Fort Scott Community College
Kahle Good (INF); Hometown: Carson City, NV; School: Cal State Monterey Bay
Carter Mize (1B/DH); Hometown: O’Fallon, MO; Last Pro Team: Williamsport Crosscutters
Michael Blackiston (UTL); Hometown: Deptford, NJ; School: University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Ben Trucke (UTL); Hometown: Watertown, MN; School: St. Thomas
Owen Bond (OF); Hometown: Pewaukee, WI; School: St. Thomas
John Curran (1B/OF); Hometown: Pleasant Hill, CA; School: University of Cal-Berkeley (commit)
Sandro Adames (P); Hometown: Pine Bluff, AR; School: Southeast Arkansas College
Erik Heiken (P); Hometown: Carencro, LA; School: Southeast Arkansas CC
Josh Munoz (P/INF); Hometown: Los Fresnos, TX; School: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Matthew Persinger (C); Hometown: Lexington, KY; School: Wabash Valley Community College
Drake Lee (C); Hometown: Lafayette, LA; School: University of Central Oklahoma
Sean Kang (C); Hometown: Chesterfield, MO; School: Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
What type of baseball should you expect from the Outlaws this season? Daly, who spent the last two seasons managing in the Dairyland Land Collegiate League with the Wisconsin Cheese Kings, has a pretty tried and true method to managing his team.
“Probably the most aggressive team (the fans) have ever seen on both sides,” Daly said. “The pitchers are going to be filling it up and coming at guys. Good velocity guys from both sides and also some guys who can miss and match. We have the perfect recipe, as far as I am concerned, of balance between guys who can hit for average, power and speed guys. One through nine, you are not going to have a weak link in the lineup. … It’s going to be a grind to pitch against us every night.”
The Outlaws kick off the season with a six-game road trip, with the first four games at Sherman this weekend before two at Fort Smith. Joplin opens up the home portion of its season with a four-game series at Joe Becker Stadium set for May 30-June 2. With so much new around the team, getting on the road for a chance to build comradery early on should be a positive influence for the Outlaws.
“We are front-loaded early with a lot of road games, but we 100 percent see that as a positive,” Daly said of the schedule. “We have an opportunity to build camaraderie on the bus, in the hotels. Early on, I definitely see that as a net positive. I think it is going to make us come together quicker and get stronger.”
