Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 will begin their first road trip of the 2025 Alaska Legion Baseball season this weekend in the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament at Kenai.
“I think this is going to be a good returning season for us,” Auke Bay Post 25 head coach Joe Tompkins said. “All I am shooting for right now is just a lot of growth and some good baseball from everybody.”
Juneau will play South Post 4 to open the tournament, a team they just clashed with four times on the Adair Kennedy Memorial Park turf, earning one win and three losses.
They will also face a team from Madisonville, Kentucky, and the host Kenai Post 20.
On Monday, Auke Bay Post 25 travels to Anchorage to face West Post 1, East Post 34, and Service Post 28 over two days. They then return to Juneau to host Palmer Post 15 on June 28-30.
The Juneau roster features 17 players, all of whom can play multiple positions well.
Number 35 Keaton Belcourt, age 16, is a left-handed first baseman and pitcher.
“He’s a big guy, a raw young man,” Tompkins said. “He’s happy to be playing baseball again. It’s a disappointment he didn’t play high school, but now he is.”
Number 14 Lamar Blatnick, 19, is a right-handed third baseman, pitcher, catcher, and outfielder who bats left-handed and right-handed.
“He can play anything,” Tompkins said. “He’s a utility player, that boy will play anything for you.”
Number 13 Christian Brown, 17, is a right-handed outfielder and pitcher.
“Right now, he is used wherever we want him, wherever we can put him,” Tompkins said. “He pitched some in high school and is coming off a JV season. He may pitch a non-league game but he will play in a lot of other games.”
Number 15 Drew Cadigan-McAdoo is a right-handed first baseman, pitcher, and outfielder.
Number 4 Hunter Carte, 16, is a right-handed second baseman and pitcher.
“Anywhere on the field for that young man,” Tompkins said. “He’s a good utility player, good wherever we play him. It is nice to have all these utility guys. You can just pick them up and throw them out there and know wherever they land it will be fine.”
Number eight Brenner Harralston, 15, is a right-handed outfielder, pitcher, and catcher.
“He is jumping at the bit to get in, even when he is out and in the dugout he is ready to get back in and play,” Tompkins said.
Number 16 Cayman Huff, 17, is a right-handed pitcher and first baseman.
“He just loves to pitch,” Tompkins said.
Number five Jacob Katasse, 18, is a right-handed outfielder and pitcher.
“He is a Labrador,” Tompkins said. “He can chase down balls. He gets his glove on most everything.”
Number two Aaron Lazo-Chappell, is a right-handed outfielder.
“He is good on the bases,” Tompkins said. “He is always having fun and has a smile on his face.”
Number one Noah Lewis, 17, bats left but throws right from his catcher or outfield position.
Number 17 Kasen Ludeman is a right-handed shortstop and pitcher.
“I can put him wherever I want,” Tompkins said. “Great attitude and he is always steady. Just an all-around.”
Number 42 JJ McCormick, 18, is a right-handed catcher, first baseman and third baseman.
“He is a good hitter too,” Tompkins said. “Gets good contact and hits the ball hard.”
Number 30 Madden Mendoza, 17, is a right-handed second baseman and pitcher and twin brother Marcus Mendoza, number 21, a right-handed third baseman and pitcher.
“They bring a great attitude to the field every day,” Tompkins said.
Number 18 Christian Nelson, 19, is a right-handed shortstop, infielder, and pitcher. He is working into the lineup. His younger brother, Micah Nelson, age 15, number three, is a right-handed second baseman and pitcher.
“That kid will play anywhere, “ Tompkins said. “Great kid, quiet, always smiling. He seems to get hits and is not afraid of anybody.”
Their cousin, Nils Nelson, age 17, number 19, is a right-handed outfielder and infielder.
“He messed up his shoulder snowboarding so he missed a year,” Tompkins said. “Now he is getting some reps in and working out, and getting playing time. A good young man, quiet and funny.”
The Auke Bay Post 25 coaching staff includes manager Jeremy Ludeman, head coach Joe Tompkins and assistant coaches Richard Hayes, Larry Blatnick, Jake Carte and Kai Schmidt. Support staff includes Jack Schmidt, Mike Crabb, Justin Fuller, Owen Mendoza, Christian Ludeman and Gilbert Mendoza.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
