Former Cubs pitcher Randy Wells returns to high school roots as new coach at Althoff

In the Althoff Crusaders’ prep baseball opener last Thursday, former Chicago Cubs pitcher Randy Wells was quickly taken back to his high school days.

“The weather and the bus ride the other day was pretty brutal,” joked Wells, a Belleville East graduate who reacquainted himself with the comforts of a yellow school bus. “I don’t remember school buses being that small.”

That’s understandable as the 6-foot-5 Wells is making numerous transitions in his first season as a varsity baseball coach.

He collected his first career win Thursday with a 13-7 victory over Marissa. The Crusaders return a decent amount of talent and experience from a 20-9 squad that reached the Class 2A Vandalia Sectional final last season before losing to Teutopolis.

“It’s fun to actually teach these kids and see them succeed on the field,” said Wells, who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and Cubs during five major-league seasons from 2008 to 2012. “It’s helped me a little bit to slow down and take things for what they are, just teach baseball. Hopefully we’ll see results and get these kids going.

“It’s nerve-racking, I know that.”

Wells also operates the K3 Baseball and Softball Academy for sports instruction at Kings Point Sports Club in Belleville.

Season outlook

Althoff lost several starters to graduation, most notably 2015 News-Democrat Small-School Player of the Year Austin Keen, now a pitcher at Kentucky. Also gone are All-Area selections Ben Hankammer and Sam Haudrich along with catcher Bret Silvestri and Seth Bertelsman.

Returning starters include senior outfielder-pitcher Stephen Toenjes (.274, nine RBIs), senior pitcher-third baseman Rory Keen (.244, four RBIs, 3-1, 4.94 ERA) and senior shortstop-pitcher Jake Frazier (.290, four doubles, 13 RBIs).

Wells is counting on that trio to anchor the pitching staff and also provide offense.

“He’s a leader and a confident kid,” Wells said of Toenjes. “He believes in himself. We’re trying to get our guys to start believing in what they want to do after high school, too. He’s got speed, he’s got an arm and can go get the ball — and hits the ball well, too.”

Keen is the younger brother of Austin Keen.

The Crusaders play their home opener Tuesday against New Athens at Whitey Herzog Field. They also will be at home Thursday against Columbia before traveling to Collinsville on Saturday.

Several new faces join experienced veterans

Sophomore catcher Jack Ysursa could be another offensive power source after going 2-for-4 with a home run in the season opener. Ysursa hasn’t done much catching before and is the son of former Althoff baseball and football standout Bernie Ysursa, who played college baseball at Murray State.

“He’s got a pretty good arm and he can pitch some and play third, but we’re really looking at him as a catcher,” Wells said of Ysursa, who worked on catching a lot in the offseason and also saw some varsity at-bats as a freshman last spring. “He’s a big kid and swings the bat pretty well.”

Senior Dale Hassall is at first and sophomore Matt Schroeder is at second with Frazier, who was on Althoff’s state championship basketball team, at short.

Wells said Keen and junior Gavin Strieker will be at third with Trey Mosley in center, Stephen Toenjes in right and freshman Jack Toenjes in left.

There’s not much pitching experience behind Stephen Toenjes and Keen with Frazier, Ysursa and Strieker all being counted on for innings and support. Keen struck out seven in 3 2/3 innings in the opener, but Wells said he also struggled a bit with control.

“We’re starting to get some structure,” Wells said. “I just want kids to trust the process and the biggest thing I’m preaching is not to panic, to know what to do with the ball before it comes to them.”

This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Former Cubs pitcher Randy Wells returns to high school roots as new coach at Althoff."