Miners have new skipper

PALMER — Throughout his baseball career, Brian Yocke seemed to always be on the verge of the end of his baseball career. But something always called him back to the sport. Now, the California native is getting the call to coach in Alaska.

Yocke, a former player and coach at Division I San Jose State, has been named the head coach of the Mat-Su Miners.

Yocke succeeds former Mat-Su field skipper Russell Raley, who led the Miners to back-to-back Alaska Baseball League titles during his two summers in Palmer.

“I’m excited,” Yocke said by phone from California on Monday. “Obviously, the organization’s been top-notch, winning championship after championship. I just want to follow that formula that (Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher) set up.”

This will be Yocke’s second job in the ABL. He was the top assistant on the Peninsula Oilers staff in 2009. But it also helps Yocke continue a baseball career that could have realistically ended several times.

In high school, Yocke played baseball at Archbishop Mitty, a San Jose, Calif., area school with an athletic department that has been ranked in the top-5 in the nation by various sports publications in recent years. But after being used primarily as a pinch runner as a junior, Yocke considered leaving baseball for the track and field team as a senior. He stuck with baseball and had success on the diamond as a senior.

After high school, Yocke attended Mission College in Santa Clara, Calif., primarily to study fire science and purse a career in firefighting. But he also played baseball, and played well enough to earn second-team all-league honors as a sophomore.

Even after receiving that honor, Yocke seriously considering leaving baseball completely in favor of firefighting. But he decided to give San Jose State a try.

Yocke, a center fielder, was a long shot, but he made the team as a walk-on. In 2007, after starting the season on the bench, he worked his way into the starting lineup and hit .346 as the Spartans’ center fielder.

Yocke’s path into coaching was similar. He started not knowing his longterm potential, and suddenly he was offered a role on the San Jose State coaching staff.

“I couldn’t turn down the opportunity,” Yocke said.

A colleague of Yocke’s on the San Jose State staff and a former Mat-Su head coach, Jeff Pritchard, helped Yocke land the job with the Miners.

“I asked Jeff if he would mind contacting Pete and everything fell into place,” Yocke said.

Christopher said Pritchard’s recommendation of Yocke played a big role in the hire. Pritchard led the Miners to an ABL title in 2007. Christopher said Yocke’s experience with the Oilers was also a factor.

“He knows the league, knows what it takes to win,” Christopher said.

Yocke, who is also joining the baseball coaching staff at Archbishop Mitty, is one of three coaches who are looking to further their coaching careers with the Miners. Mat-Su has also added Josh Renick and Chris Gordon to its staff.

“They’re all high-energy guys, which is important,” Christopher said.

Renick, the son of former Major League infielder and outfielder Rick Renick, is a coach at Tennessee-Wesleyan College.

After playing college baseball at Manatee Community College in Florida and Middle Tennessee State University, Renick played in the minor league organizations of the Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds, where he reached the Double-A level.

Gordon, an assistant coach at NAIA Milligan College in Tennessee, will be the Miners pitching coach this season. Gordon pitched for Milligan College and has also coached at the prep level. Gordon also coached Jason Trivett, a member of the 2009 Mat-Su pitching staff.

Yocke said he’s excited about Mat-Su’s 2010 staff, especially the attitude of the assistants.

“Both of those guys will bring good energy to the filed,” Yocke said. “It should be a fun season.”

As far as philosophies, Yocke goes back to a baseball staple.

“Pitching and defense wins everything,” Yocke said.

At the plate, Yocke said he preaches quality at-bats and taking advantage of situations.

The Miners, winners of four ABL titles since 2004, take Hermon Brothers Field in June.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.