Former Basic baseball star relishes new role as youth coach

By Sean Ammerman

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 | midnight

When the Las Vegas Longhorns youth club baseball team formed in 2006, its founders vowed parents would not serve as coaches.

General manager Kevin Robinson wanted to avoid the inevitable politics that come with a parents, however, finding an outside coach to stay with the team has been difficult.

After four coaching changes, the Longhorns feel like they have finally found the perfect fit in former Basic catcher and current minor leaguer Kylee Hash.

“It’s been fun,” said Hash, who became coach in September. “I have a bunch of good kids and they’re here to work hard. I may not be the best coach, but the things I have learned being around the big-leaguers and coaches, I feel I can pass on.”

Hash, 20, will coach the 14-and-under team until April, when the players get ready for American Legion baseball for their high schools.

By the spring, Hash, who left the Seattle Mariners farm system this summer, hopes to sign with a new organization or play in an independent league.

In the meantime, he hopes to pass on as much baseball knowledge as he can.

“It’s rare that anybody that has made the pros to come back and worry about teaching any younger kids the sport,” Robinson said.

It wasn’t long ago when Hash led Basic to the Sunrise Regional championship game. His 10 home runs his senior year helped attract professional scouts, and made him a 17th-round draft pick of the Chicago White Sox.

After spending 2007 with the White Sox, Hash signed with the Mariners and played Rookie ball with the Pulaski (Va.) Mariners in 2008.

Playing in the minors has been a dream come true. He batted .222 last year.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am happy with how things have went, but there are lots of things I want to improve on.”

Hash’s experience spread to Longhorns catcher Alec Morrison, who will go out for Del Sol’s baseball next spring.

“He’s helped me out with all the necessities — blocking, throwing, catching — everything you need to know to be a good catcher,” Morrison said. “I have changed my throwing stance because of him so I can throw to second.”

The Longhorns have had many ups and downs in the past two years, mostly due to the constant coaching changes. The team competed in Henderson’s Triple Crown Fall Nationals, but went 0-3 in the competitive club tournament.

Longhorns infielder Jake Trost hopes the constant coach will help the team improve throughout the fall.

“It helps us out a lot because he knows the path,” Trost said. “He’s been around baseball for a while and knows what has been happening in town.”

Sean Ammerman can be reached at 990-2661 or [email protected].