REFUGIO, Texas — The Refugio Bobcats baseball team has a Jared Kelley, Austin Ochoa sized hole to fill on their pitching staff in 2021.
Kelley, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in last year's MLB draft and Ochoa is playing baseball for UTSA.
"Jared is irreplaceable," said head coach Jarod Kay. "Even a kid like Austin Ochoa."
The Bobcats are returning just one player to their pitching staff that saw significant innings last season, or was supposed to see significant innings before the 2020 season was shut down due to COVID-19.
Jordan Kelley will be the player the Bobcats turn to in 2021, as their ace on the mound. He's ready for the challenge and to see other players around him rise to the challenge.
"Replacing Jared and Austin is a really big thing," said Jordan. "We have some guys who can really step up."
One of those players is junior Ethan Perez.
"We have five or six guys on this staff that can step up," said Perez.
A new rotation will have a chance to take over.
"You never know when you're number is going to be called," said Kay. "It is always fun when you get to see a kid rise up to the challenge and raise his level and by extension the level of our team."
The Bobcats will play their first game of the season next week.
