Modesto JC rebuilds under new baseball coach

Zeb Brayton’s record as a head coach is 0-0, but he’s unbeaten when it comes to patience.

Brayton bided his time as a Modesto Junior College assistant baseball coach since 2004 and, today, he receives his reward. The Cal State Stanislaus product makes his debut as head coach as the Pirates open the season at Los Medanos.

“I enjoy being around these young men. They work hard and pull for each other,” Brayton said. “I’m anxious to find out where we’re at.”

Brayton succeeds the veteran Bo Aiello, the MJC coach from 1983 to ’08 who returned the last two seasons. Aiello remains on the staff but additions include former MJC star pitcher Vince Roberts and former Enochs coach Matt Brown.

Their task is daunting – replenishing a roster that returns only one position starter in infielder Josh Miguel. On the mound, lefty Eddie Machado hopes he can carry his sharp early season form in 2013 through the entire campaign.

Machado, who can throw three pitches for strikes, was 6-1 with a 1.84 ERA during the Pirates’ electric 14-0 start last year. His season was cut short by an arm injury, however, and the Pirates (22-15, 8-13) tapered off, finishing seventh in the Big 8 Conference.

Regardless, MJC was one of seven Big 8 teams to squeeze into the NorCal playoffs.

“We had a good ball club last year. Some injuries to our pitchers hurt,” Brayton said. “The Big 8 is such a grind. You don’t know if you haven’t been through it.”

Catcher Nathan Chunn, a freshman at Nebraska, led the small army of ex-Pirates who’ve advanced to four-year schools. They left huge voids in the MJC lineup, and competition has been keen to fill them.

The development of freshman Colt Parshall at shortstop allows the Pirates to move the talented Miguel (.296 last season) to second base. Robby Steves, a medical redshirt last season, should help at third base.

MJC also possesses versatility with a pair of catcher-outfielders in freshman Jacob Cooper and William Reeder. The rest of the outfield could be filled by Matt Clark and Spencer Thomas, the latter an MJC quarterback last fall.

Machado, today’s starter, will be joined by fellow pitchers Brent Montgomery, Tyler Arnsberg, Devon Denholm and Brandon Taylor. Montgomery served as a reliever and spot starter for Modesto last year. Arnsberg is scheduled to start MJC’s home opener Saturday against Los Medanos. Montgomery will take the mound Tuesday at Monterey Peninsula.

“We’re not going to try to reinvent the wheel,” Brayton said. “Just good defense, sound fundamentally on offense, throw strikes and don’t beat yourself.”

Softball

The Pirates, winners of only five Big 8 games over the last two seasons, are turning the page under eighth-year head coach Kelly Nasrawi. One look at the roster, which features only two sophomores, says it all as Modesto begins today at Foothill.

“Last year was rough,” said Nasrawi, whose team went 6-29 overall. “We had to regroup over the summer and make some changes. I’m happy with what I did.”

One of the major changes can be seen on Nasrawi’s staff. Besides returning assistant coach Mollie Madrid, MJC will be assisted by newcomers Thad Brown and Andrea Gonzales. Brown is a former assistant at San Jose State, and Gonzales played at Yuba College and Doane College.

“It will be good to have more sets of eyes on the games and more help,” Nasrawi said.

The only returners from last season are Illiana Cajias, who moves from second base to shortstop, and leftfielder Shannen Castle (14 RBIs in 2013). Adalia Cajias, Illiana’s twin, will work as a catcher and infielder.

The Pirates’ top pitching prospect is freshman Lexy Cordova, a former softball and wrestling star at Central Valley. She’ll carry much of the load in the circle with help from Monique Colunga and second baseman Nicole Vasquez.

Modesto also will rely on third baseman Jazzlyn Ayala, whose good bat will be needed.

The Pirates’ home opener at their West Campus ballpark is Feb. 5, against Ohlone.

This story was originally published January 28, 2015 at 7:34 PM with the headline "Modesto JC rebuilds under new baseball coach."