ZooKeepers start season with baseball veteran leading the way

ASHEBORO — While the Coastal Plain League will be celebrating its 30th year of existence this summer, the Asheboro ZooKeepers hope to be celebrating after the season has come to an end.

The ZooKeepers will be vying for their first CPL title, and if coaching experience is a determining factor in a team’s success, and it usually is, the ZooKeepers are sitting on a gold mine.

First-year ZooKeepers manager Mark Weidemaier has more than 40 years of experience, with scouting, advising, coaching and player development roles at every level. He was a key member of the Washington Nationals coaching staff, serving as the team’s defensive coordinator and advance scout during their playoff runs.

Most recently, he was an advance scout for Italy in this past World Baseball Classic, one of two teams to defeat Team USA.

Weidemaier, who for the past two summers was the head coach for the Bismarck Larks of the Northwoods League, takes over for Korey Dunbar, who will remain as the organization’s General Manager.

The ZooKeepers had their first meeting Saturday night, their first practice Sunday and the first action is scheduled for Wednesday night against Randolph County Post 45.

“Baseball is a game that needs to be played through a lens … with an attitude of situational awareness,” Weidemaier said of his message to the players. “There are three attitudes, the first being a personal attitude. What do they bring to the table? There’s a situational attitude. Are they focusing on every pitch, are they alert and do they hustle. The third one is an approach attitude. What a player wants to accomplish and how he goes about getting it.”

Weidemaier said he stressed the importance of becoming a unit quickly, referencing his Team Italy, which didn’t have much time to gel before the WBC.

“There needs to be a brotherhood,” Weidemaier said. “I’d like to see them get to know each other.”

Dunbar and the organization have put together a team with players from large schools like the University of Florida, UNC Wilmington, Michigan State and UNC Greensboro, and smaller ones like Wabash Valley College, Midway University, Case Western Reserve University and Kalamazoo College.

“You would love to say they are all gamers and are here for the right reason,” Weidemaier said. “Once we get started, we’ll find out.”

Among those expected to spark the team are pitchers Ben Shepherd (University of South Carolina Aiken), Carlos Gomez (Campbellsville University), Hutson Trobaugh (Chipola College), Kyle Rudolph (Michigan State) and Tyler Stillson (Case Western Reserve University).

“It’s a league where you just can’t have enough pitching,” Weidemaier said.

Outfielder Ethan Walker (Prairie View A&M) and Leandro Hernandez (Wabash Valley) are among those to lead the offense.

Former Randleman High School standouts Seth Way (Liberty), Hunter Atkins (Catawba) and Braxton Walker (Wingate) are on the ZooKeepers’ roster.

There are four players from Wabash Valley who participated in the NJCAA World Series.

“It makes a difference,” Weidemaier said about players coming to Asheboro from winning programs. “They are used to winning and that’s a good thing. And I think it’s good to get more than one guy from the same school.”

The ZooKeepers open league play Thursday night in Boone before their home opener Friday night against Forest City. 

There will be a fireworks show after the home opener, which is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.