SPRINGFIELD – It’s never easy to say goodbye, and for Springfield Drifters’ coaches and players, this is no different. It’s especially difficult before the season even ends.
Over the past two weeks, players have returned home and to their schools to continue their collegiate careers.
Coach Jeff Lyle said a bond remains with the early departures.
“Once a Drifter, always a Drifter, you know, kind of what everybody says about their organizations, but it’ll be 100% true. We’ve already had guys leave and we’ve already checked in on them,” Lyle said. “You never lose those connections; baseball is a really small, big world.”
Tough transactions
Sixteen Drifters have departed from the team since the start of the season. They include all-star catcher Isaiah Ibarra, as well as 11 pitchers. This isn’t uncommon for West Coast League baseball as players come and go regularly, but the Drifters sorely missed this group.
The team went 14-9 between June 27 and July 26 when they were at full strength. On July 28, it seemed Springfield was poised for a playoff push as it was 2.5 games behind the fourth-seeded Marion Berries for the last wild card spot. That’s just when the back-to-school exodus began. They lost six straight games.
While it’s true their record is similar to years past, this season was about more than just winning. It was about building a strong foundation with a new coaching staff.
Springfield overhauled its staff in late 2024, bringing in new faces in both the front office and the dugout. Their goal was to bring about a long-lasting era of high-quality baseball for the city of Springfield.
“I think the community deserves to have a team here to support and these kids deserve for the community to come out and support them, and this is one of the hardest-working groups of kids I’ve ever been around,” Lyle said. “Looking up today and seeing a lot of fans after yesterday, Friday, and our last few homestands had a lot of fans, it’s really exciting.”
As they’ve reiterated throughout the season, the coaches’ main focus this season was developing the players. Lyle has stressed that winning is nice, but it’s a byproduct of doing things the right way.
Player growth, team success
The focus on the players paid off, too, as many Drifters were able to set team records this season.
Nolan Miller achieved the most hits in a single season for the team with 52. Jack Brooks had 12 doubles this season, the most in team history. Finally, Mr. Drifter himself, Cooper Mullens, added to his record for most games played as a Drifter after finishing his third season with the team. The record now sits at 106, comfortably ahead of second-place Nolan Miller, who has 70.
While the coaches focused on developing the players, fans turned out for promotions at Hamlin, too.
Fan engagement
The fireworks nights are always breathtaking, and this season was no exception. With three shows this season – including a record-breaking July 3, which saw over 2,500 fans attend – the front office provided memorable promotions.
The fireworks weren’t the only event Hamlin had to offer, either, as the team worked with members of the community for many others. Throughout the year, the team was clearly focused on providing a positive experience for kids in Springfield.
Team officials planned events centered around Kidsports, local little leagues, and more, on top of having multiple activities for kids to play at every home game.
Children even had the opportunity to go to three different camps to train with Drifters coaches and players this year.
“We’re all trying to develop a community atmosphere where kids are welcome,” Drifters assistant coach Dean Stiles said. “We’ve got kids on the field after the game, our guys are signing autographs, kids are running bases, they’re doing games in between innings. It’s just a fun atmosphere, and a good family atmosphere.”
Back-to-school ‘Backpack Night’ at Hamlin
SPRINGFIELD – The Drifters and sponsor, the Hope Project, gave away backpacks loaded with school supplies ahead of its game on Friday, Aug. 1, at Hamlin Sports Complex.