Preseason High School Preview: Wentzville Holt
March 13, 2023
The Missouri high school baseball season is set to kick off shortly, with ‘Opening Day’ set for March 17th. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2023 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications.
Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.
Our 2023 preseason coverage continues today.
Team: Wentzville Holt
2022 Record: 21-10
Conference: GAC Central
Classification: 5A
Head Coach: Trey Pirkle
X-FACTOR
Dalton Hosack, LHP, 2024: Hosack was absolutely dominant for Holt last season as a sophomore, pitching to a 2.42 ERA and 56 strikeouts over a team-high 46 ⅓ innings and emerging as the go-to arm on this staff. Hosack earned an invitation to the PBR Future Games as a result and is one of the state’s top uncommitted left-handers, throwing all four of his pitches around the zone consistently for strikes. His fastball plays in the mid-80s, touching 86 mph, and he’ll turn over a firm upper-70s changeup with late fade from his fastball’s arm window. Hosack spins two different breaking balls - a more vertical curveball with higher shape and a tighter slider with slight sweep, both playing at 73-75 mph. Experienced on the mound and proven in big games at the varsity level, Hosack is a huge piece of Holt’s deep pitching staff.
OUTLOOK
The Indians finished 21-10 last season and won a playoff game before falling to Fort Zumwalt West in the semi-finals. That was the program’s final game at the 6A classification, as Holt will play the 2023 season at the 5A level.
Aside from Hosack, the Indians have two more arms that return from last year’s squad with experience and success on the mound: LHP Nolan Folks (2023) and INF/RHP Kyle Edgar (2024). One of the state’s top uncommitted seniors, Folks made eight starts, logging 39 ⅓ innings with 45 strikeouts and a 1.96 ERA to pair. Edgar, who’s likely to start at shortstop when he’s not on the mound, saw 28 innings of work, pitching to a 1.50 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only 11 walks. Though only a sophomore, LHP Aidan Pettit (2025) stands at 6-foot-5, 165-pounds with three pitches and is a newcomer to this Holt team that could help them in some role throughout the season. Added in with Hosack, the Indians have a handful of arms that’ll give them a chance to compete on any given day.
Holt will have to replace the void left behind by a few key departures, but the Indians have a few returning bats from last year’s group that are eager to do so. C Chase Lasater (2024; Maryville) batted .306 and reached base 45.6% of the time in 79 plate appearances as a sophomore last spring, and the PBR Future Games alum is primed for an even bigger year now with varsity seasoning under his belt. INF Connor Seibert (2023) was a second team all-conference bat in 2022, batting .389 with a .468 on-base percentage, scoring 24 runs as well. OF Trevor Lovall (2023) slashed .315/.413/.481 over 54 at-bats last season, while OF Ben Brickey (2023; William Woods) and OF Gage Colyer (2023) are two more seniors that’ll contribute to this offense. 1B/RHP Benjamin Kolb (2024) showed well at the Preseason All-State in February as an upside athlete that can help Holt on both sides of the ball this spring.
BOTTOM LINE
The Indians’ strengths lie on the mound, where they have a staple of arms that they’re more than comfortable trotting out on any given day. Filling the holes left behind by a few big bats won’t be easy, but the Holts have a number of bats that’ll look to build off what they started last spring. They’ll push for a top spot in the GAC Central this spring with a trip to Ozark on their minds, now having to go through the 5A playoffs to do so.
Follow along @PBRMissouri for complete coverage of the 2023 high school season.
RELATED CONTENT