GU Baseball: Meet the Freshmen

The Greenville University Baseball team has always had their share of characters in the past. In the last several years, there have been some that many fans have come to know quite well and love, but let’s introduce some of the new faces in the program. This year’s freshmen class has brought in a lot of talent that the program has more than welcomed this fall. Last year’s senior class played a big role on the 2019 team that went 23-17. With many open spots looking to be filled for the upcoming 2020 spring season, this fall has given these freshman a real chance to show what they have to offer in order to make an impact on the team. Here are a few of the freshmen that will be on the roster this season.

Mark Owens is 6’0″ infielder from New Berlin, Illinois who plans on majoring in Engineering. Owens is a lanky, explosive athlete with tons of potential to fill out and possibly be one the best players to ever attend Greenville University in recent history. Senior pitcher Lukas Whitten said, “I believe Mark has a real chance to solidify us up the middle with his range and ability to make plays the less-athletic people in the conference cannot make.” At this point, Mark’s potential seems to be without a ceiling. His father, Brad Owens, attended Western Illinois and was eventually drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 16th round. When asked about what he thinks about having that kind of opportunity to learn from a former professional, Owens replied, “I mean it is not always something I like to tell people just because I feel like they expect so much out of me, but at the same time it is cool knowing I have a father with the knowledge he has and he is always willing to teach and help me learn.”

One of the biggest personalities out of the freshmen class is Landon Mokris. Mokris hails from Petersburg, Indiana and is a first baseman with a big, solid body and a swing that strikes fear into pitchers. When asked what he thinks is one of the most interesting things about himself, Mokris replied, “I consider myself one of the best ping pong players around and yes, that is a challenge to anyone willing to take me on.”

Brock Bell is a strong first basemen who is from Delavan, Illinois. Bell has a lot of potential to be a very strong and powerful hitter from the left side and could possibly find himself in some key situations at the plate late in games. Some of Bell’s hobbies include fishing, hunting, and playing video games. When asked to give some interesting facts about himself, Bell responded with, “I have actually been to Africa twice on mission trips with my church to help orphans in Uganda. It was just a really neat experience that I think not only helped me grow as a man, but as a disciple for Christ.”

The rest of the freshmen class includes: Brady Maltbie, Trent Wilson, Dylan Wetterling, Jax Gibson, Cole Clark, Drew Frey, Hunter Grey, Caleb Norton, Levi Masloski, and Caleb Sedmak.

These young men are looking to make an impact on the program for many years to come with the lessons they are willing to learn through baseball and the Christ-centered education at Greenville University.

Media by Dustin Phelps.