Gaston College baseball newcomers welcome high expectations for 2024 season
Gaston College has welcomed 26 newcomers to its championship-winning baseball program this fall.
Two of the top newcomers become Rhinos from very different paths as shortstop Caleb Estes new nothing of the program until a few months while pitcher Mason Smith actually took online classes from the school before he started his college career at East Carolina.
Both share the common goal of trying to extend Gaston College's unprecedented streak of league titles when the 2024 season begins in late January.
"I'm really excited for the season," said Estes, who transferred from Maryland after helping the Terrapins advance to a NCAA tournament appearance at Wake Forest in May. "They've got a real good culture around here and I know expectations are really high."
Estes grew up in Annapolis, Md., before attending Archbishop Spalding High School in nearby Severn, Md., where he was named 2022 prep player of the year by The Baltimore Sun and rated one of top high school prospects in that state.
Recruited by many major colleges in high school, Estes picked a Maryland program that won the 2023 Big Ten tournament title before entering the transfer portal after the 2023 season ended.
"I honestly had no idea about junior college baseball because it's just not very big where I'm from," Estes said. "But I talked to (Rhinos assistant) coach (Jacob) Rand a bunch and became very familiar with all that this program is about."
Mason Smith, who attended nearbly Lincoln Charter School in Denver, helped the Eagles' program win back-to-back conference titles and third round state playoff advances in 2021 and 2022 while batting .400 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs and striking out 162 batters in 84 innings during his career.
Rated a top pitcher and shortstop out of high school, he signed with East Carolina before his career there was derailed after needing Tommy John surgery to repair a torn elbow ligament.
"After I had Tommy John surgery, I sat out the whole year and wanted to get some more opportunities," Mason Smith said. "Now that I'm here with a great coaching staff, I'm hoping for a big year."
A travel ball teammate of Rhinos' returnees Seth Christmas and Nate Williams, Mason Smith was aware of last season's 50-13 overall record, Region 10 tournament and National Junior College Athletic Association district tournament title success and fifth-place finish in the World Series in Grand Junction, Col.
"I know they went to the World Series last year and I'm hoping to get back there this year," Mason Smith said.
Estes and Mason Smith are two of 13 transfers from other colleges and 13 high school products joining the Rhinos' program.
The transfers are from Charlotte (Calvert Clark), East Carolina (Mason Smith), Florida Southwestern (Caleb Gallant), Guilford Tech (Sean Sullivan), Illinois State (Ben Karpowicz), Maryland (Estes and Wagner Morrissette), North Carolina A&T (Nick Lundquist), Presbyterian (Jay Allred), Queens (Brock Donnelly and Evan Vandenbosch), UNC-Asheville (Isaac Williams) and William & Mary (Tyler Burke).
And the high school additions include 2023 North Carolina American Legion state tournament MVP Andrew Clifford of Fuquay-Varina Post 16 and Gaston Braves Post 144-266 standout Carter Jessen of Stuart Cramer High School. Other high school signees are Jackson Berini, Connor Frail, Chris Hendrickson, Bryson King, Trevor Lucas, Austin Renn, Caleb Sawkins, Clayton Sherwood, Gabe Simmons, Justin Smith and Kaden Varela-Payne.