Red Devils chasing district 3-peat: Chaffee baseball preview 2025

CHAFFEE — Chaffee High School baseball is in the middle of a golden age, with back-to-back Class 2 third-place finishes, back-to-back District 3 titles, and a consistent winning culture.

While few small-school programs in the Bootheel have enjoyed the type of success the Red Devils have had on the diamond under fourth-year head coach Aaron Horrell, this year’s squad, while still talented, is younger and more unproven.

“I would say the end goal is the same,” Horrell said. “That doesn't necessarily mean a certain finish in a playoff. Our goal is always to just get better throughout the season. We want to be better in April than we are in March, and we want to be better in May than we are in April.

“It's just going to be a different approach, as we did graduate seven seniors and lost another key contributor, so there’s going to be a lot of new faces. But it’s a lot of kids that have played a lot of baseball growing up. They’re just not household names yet. They're young and some of them will be getting their first chance at varsity opportunities. We'll see who kind of takes it and runs with it.”

The cupboard is hardly bare, though, as Chaffee is once again built to do damage at the plate.

Anchoring the offense is senior Easton Fowler — an athletic middle infielder who was injured for a fraction of last season — power-hitting first baseman Kolbey Estes, senior outfielder Connor Berry and sophomore Rolen Reischman — a building-block type of player who Horrell said “came on last year and had a couple of huge key moments that helped us win conference and district titles.”

Senior middle infielder Kamden Little is also expected to be a vital part of this year’s production, and is a centerpiece that Horrell and the coaching staff “expect big things out of and is a leader that does everything right, works really hard and sets the tone for the team.”

One player Horrell is also particularly high on is Aiden Dumey — a hard-hitting senior who could work his way into the middle of the batting order after not playing since his freshman year because of lingering shoulder injuries.

However, where the inexperience really kicks in is the pitching. Gone is All-State ace and current Jefferson College freshman Levi McKinnie, as well as five other key arms that carried the rotation in 2024.

Six sophomores — Mason Vaughn, Jordan Essner, Dane McMullin, Nolan Fowler, Grant Johnson and Adam Swinford — had impressive freshman campaigns and will only get better, but will likely be pressed to contribute on the mound right away alongside a few seniors.

“We expect big things out of those guys,” Horrell said. “They've played a ton of baseball growing up and they've always kind of played together. They just haven't had their chance to shine on the varsity level yet.”

That’s what to watch with the Red Devils throughout the season — how the younger players adapt, where they fit in and whether they can form a strong supporting cast for the handful of veterans. If so, that means Chaffee’s golden age should remain intact this spring.

“Three years ago, last season’s senior group that made those runs went 13-13 when they were all freshmen and sophomores,” Horrell said. “So, now I kind of told the kids, ‘This is kind of a reset for us. It doesn't mean it's rebuilding. It's just a reset.’ And the way we have to win and the style we have to win by might be different, but that 2022 team peaked come district play … that was about all we could do that year.

“So, for this team, there's going to be growing pains. I don't know what the record looks like, but as long as we're playing our best ball and we've kind of found our best nine or 10 come May, I'll take our shot in the playoffs. As long as we play fundamental baseball, we'll at least give ourselves a chance.”

Head coach: Aaron Horrell (fourth year, 61-28 overall)

Assistant coaches: Brian Horrell (varsity assistant), Logan Lawson (JV head coach), Shawn Powderly (varsity assistant), Landon Tenkhoff (varsity assistant)

2024 results: 26-5, Class 2 state third, District 3 champions

Key losses: Levi McKinnie (P), Carson Spies (OF), Eli Glueck (P), Kade Atkins, Peyton Vaughn (1B)

Key returners: Easton Fowler (MIF, Sr.), Connor Berry (OF, Sr.), Kamden Little (MIF, Sr.), Rolen Reischman (3B/OF, So.), Kolbey Estes (1B, Jr.), Mason Vaughn (2B/P, So.)

Player you don’t know now but will by May: Aiden Dumey (DH, Sr.)

Season opener: at Shawnee (Ill.) (4:30 p.m. Friday, March 21)

Games to watch: at Kelly (Monday, March 31), vs. Oran (Monday, April 28), vs. Cooter (Friday, May 2), at Scott City (Wednesday, May 7), at Portageville (Tuesday, May 13)