Against the Odds: Wyatt McElree’s Varsity Debut as the Lone Freshman

Wyatt McElree’s, ’27, journey unfolds as the standout freshman lighting up varsity baseball.

By: Sophia Rodriguez and Ariana Lopez

There’s always that one player with a value like no other. Someone who stands out in a flash. The emerging prospects that take on the challenge of stepping up to the Varsity field at a young age. Taking the mound is Wyatt McElree, ’27, a rising pitcher and second baseman taking the Varsity field. With every pitch, catch, and swing, McElree continues to shine through and leave a mark on the diamond with his remarkable talent in baseball at a young age.

McElree’s passion for baseball started at the young age of four. From the moment he first gripped a bat and felt the rush of connecting with the sport, McElree knew his heart belonged. He says “I kept on playing baseball because it stole my heart and I fell in love with the sport.”

His dedication grows every day, from every pitch, catch, and slide. Striving to be better every day, embracing failure and mistakes, and growing to become a better athlete.

Friendships are crucial in sports and play a big role in how a player is on the team. McElree says, “My closest teammates are probably Isaac Esquivel, Cruz Rodriguez, and Hunter Kittinger.”

As the only freshman on the team, they come with some good things. He says, “The good thing about being the only freshman on Varsity is stealing the show, and being unique.”

Growing to be a better person on and off the field is not easy but McElree has great supporters that love the work he is putting in. From playing since he was young to dreams of Major League Baseball, McElree says, “I stay motivated by my family, my dream is to make it past high school.”

With the right people, it can become easier and can give a sense of motivation. He says, “My dad inspires me to be a better player because he pushes me every day. My biggest supporters are my parents and my teammates.”

McElree has already made such great impacts on the team so far. His teammates, coaches, and family know of that already and can’t wait to see what more he can accomplish. He says, “My most memorable moment would be hitting a home run against El D.”

McElree is still young and has more skills to work on. He says, “One skill that I have to improve on would be my fielding.” Every athlete has their own struggle but McElree makes sure to work on it and practice.

All of these accomplishments are the results of years of hard work, practice every day, mistakes, and stressful nights but McElree knows that he has so much more to bring to the table. He says, “I would like to thank all my coaches, family, and my friends who push me.”

Finding a valuable young player is every coach’s dream, but it only happens occasionally. For Varsity Baseball Head Coach Daniel Hydash, McElree was the match.

Finding a player who has a positive attitude on and off the field makes the whole experience more enjoyable. Hydash says, “Wyatt has a great attitude from day one. I think I called him up roughly three weeks into the season, and he just fit in really well. He got along great with his teammates they have accepted him and they love him, so it has worked out really well.”

There has to be something that stands out in the player. Hydash says he knew the standouts of McElree were right for the team. Hydash says, “Over the years you get players that come into the program and you can tell that they have played a lot of baseball, their baseball IQ is very high. That means when they get into game situations, they always know ahead of time what they are going to do if the situation occurs. He’s just always ready for anything, he works hard and I already knew off the bat that he was going to be a great player for us. He knows the game, he is a hard worker, and his baseball IQ is very high. He’s committed to the sport and puts the work in.”

Hydash says, “It didn’t take long for him to make an impact, I believe it was his second or third game where he had one of the game-winning hits for us and he’s just been one of those consistent hitters in the lineup day in, and day out. And offensively he’s been really good for us. But even more so on the defensive side of the ball, he plays second base and makes all the replays and he makes them all look good. So he’s been a huge help.”

Hunter Kittinger, ’25, catcher for the Redwood Rangers Varsity baseball team and a close teammate of McElree, describes him as, “really calm and collected, he is mature for his age. Most of the time I forget he is a freshman and I think he’s a junior [or] senior because [of his maturity] in how he plays the game and everything.”

Kittinger also says, “he’s funny and goofy.”

Staying consistent is a big deal when it comes to baseball. Kittinger says a good component about McElree when he steps in the batters’ box is, “how consistent he is. You can always count on him, especially in big situations. He is always coming through for us.”

Recalling a game-winning moment against Bullard, Kittinger recalls McElree hitting, “a game-winning RBI for us. That was pretty sick.”

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