Buchholz Baseball hosts signee ceremony

For a young high school baseball player, there are only a few moments in life that beat having the winning hit, homerun, or even successful tag out.

But one of those moments was Tuesday’s college commitment ceremony for seven seniors of the Buchholz High School Bobcats baseball team.

Buchholz hosted a celebratory event to remember this historic moment in program history.

Three players committed to Division I schools, including Jacksonville University (JU) and Florida Gulf Coast University. Three more have committed to Division I National Junior Athletic Association programs like Gulf Coast State College (GCSC), Northwest Florida State College  and Lake Sumter State College, and the last is headed to a Division II program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

As the auditorium filled with friends, families, coaches and staff to celebrate the players, it was easy to see how much of a community has been built.

“It has a rich tradition,” said Buchholz baseball head coach Chris Malphurs. “We’ve got all the support in the world from our community.” 

That support, combined with the relentless effort to compete as a team at the highest level, is a reason for their success.

In the 2024-2025 season, the Bobcats went 33-3, ranked first in 6A District 2 and fell to No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas 8-3 in the state championship. 

“They know how to win, and how to practice,” Malphurs said. “Nine times out of 10, you look at a guy that’s going to get a chance to play in college because they practice well, and they have good practice habits.”  

With elite coaches who push them past their limits, they are prepared to face their next adventure and face adversity.

They have created not only an environment for success, but a motivated one that leads players to understand the importance of showing up every day. 

“Not every day do you wake up and want to go to practice, or go to school, or go to your job, or wherever you are,” said pitcher and ERAU commit Cohen Lafler. “But, I’ve had a lot of coaches, lucky enough to have a lot of coaches like coach Ron Brooks last year, coach Malphurs, coach Stephen Barton, that really push me every day to keep going.” 

That shared commitment helped differentiate them at the next level. With the transfer portal and new college athletic rules in place, landing a starting spot right out of high school can be difficult. But these seven players earned opportunities thanks to their hard work, dedication and successful history.

As a majority of them contributed to recording back-to-back Class 6A State Runner-Up finishes, these players shone a bright light on themselves, allowing their names to be seen, which opened the door to scholarship opportunities.

“It's tough as a high school senior to get in with these big programs,” Malphurs said. “So I think it's just a testament to how hard these guys are working and how talented they are to get opportunities in these big schools. Just my hats off to our kids.” 

The only downside of their success is the end of the school season and the teammates going their separate ways.

As they are faced with the rapidly approaching end of their time at Buchholz, pitcher and JU commit Aidan Kastensmidt reflected on what he is leaving behind.

“It means a lot being here for four straight years. I really love this place, and I’m gonna miss it,” he said. “I’m going to miss my teammates, my coaches and all of the memories that I have playing.”

But the pitcher duo of Kastensmidt and Dion Wilburn gets to continue their friendship through college, as both have signed with the Division I Dolphins.

This senior class has become so close-knit due to the many years they have played together. This is part of their success. The team chemistry is evident on the field, during workouts, in practice, in the clubhouse and even at school.

“I feel like the biggest thing about this senior class is how close we are with each other. I mean, every single one of these seniors, I've been playing with since I was 12,” Wilburn said. “Everyone wants to go out and fight for each other.” 

Infielder and Lake-Sumter State College commit Zac Brown echoed the closeness of the team.

“Our friendship and togetherness, honestly, we can do anything together. We are so close to each other that I could spend the night at any one of their houses, and it wouldn't be awkward,” he said. 

Aside from the togetherness of the team, to many of the players, being a Bobcat means winning.

While much of that does have to do with the chemistry, it is also a testament to the coaching staff.

Second baseman Blake Brewer of GCSG said the coaches and being at Buchholz has had a significant impact on him.

“They probably played one of the biggest roles,” he said. “From the time I got here to what I feel I can do now is all because of the preparation they put me through and the athletes I’ve been able to compete with here, and the coaches that have been able to coach me here.”

The team still has a few more months together and one more shot at winning the state championship. Falling short twice in the past two years, they are hungry for it.

“I know that I’m ready to win a state championship,” said Buchholz’s outfielder and NWFSC commit, Andrew Almond.

That environment did more than just develop players; it built relationships that extend beyond the diamond.

The chemistry was felt all the way in the stands.

“As a parent, that’s all you wish for, for your kids to find their people,” said Thu Brown, Zac’s mother.

At Buchholz, the journey is not determined by stats or wins, but by character, morals, and the willingness to always compete no matter the challenge.

As the signees seem to have their futures secured for the time being, they turn their focus to enjoying their senior seasons.

“These guys are cherishing every moment they have being Bobcats together,” Malphurs said. 

The Bobcats look to start the season strong with a road game against Tallahassee Chile Timberwolves (1-0) on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m., and eventually send their senior signees off by bringing a state championship trophy back to Gainesville.

Contact Ethan Feinberg at efeinberg@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @thefeinline.

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